School Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Training in multiple tactics to provide the best control of pests with the lowest cost and least environmental impact
About School IPM
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a strategy of managing pests using multiple control tactics that provide the best control with the least cost and environmental impact. IPM is based on thorough knowledge of pests and the technologies to control them and with proper training can be done by anyone. A good IPM program attempts to make schools less hospitable to pests with environment modifications like improving sanitation and eliminating pest harborage sites. This is done in tandem with using pesticides with the lowest possible impacts, and only as necessary. Managing risks from pests and risks from the pesticides used to control them are top priorities under an IPM program.
Janet Hurley
Extension Program Specialist III, School IPM, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Offerings housed at Dallas
School IPM Coordinator Training
This training instructs IPM coordinators on the defining principles of IPM, proper inspection methods, pest identification, use of non-chemical control tactics, and basic pesticide science. Coordinators must become familiar with Texas School IPM regulations and impacts as part of the training, which reaches about 300 school coordinators per calendar year across Texas.
Compliance site audits
These one-on-one personal visits to assist schools with their IPM program. The meeting is conducted with the IPM Coordinator and one of our trained staff members. The IPM Specialist will go through several areas of importance to the school IPM program and review necessary documentation needed to follow Texas Department of Agriculture Structural Pest Control Service School IPM rules.
Facility Inspections
This service allows our IPM Specialist to work with the IPM Coordinator and the school’s maintenance department to inspect and document pest entryways. The inspection is conducted using a detailed inspection checklist that is then inputted into our IPM Calculator to give you a detailed report and score on your buildings pest threat. The IPM Specialist will work with the district on developing the report and then also offering solutions to rid the district of pests they are experiencing.
Texas School IPM Team Coordinator
The objective of the team coordinator is to oversee regional School IPM program initiatives with direct guidance for educational programming, materials, and training locations at area school districts. The coordinator conducts four regional two-day workshops, individual one-day training in more rural areas, and develops IPM training curriculum for school IPM coordinators and others.
The team coordinator at the Dallas Center also supports School IPM efforts nationally by assisting with development and distribution of materials of educational materials as a member of:
- National School IPM Workgroup
- Southern IPM School IPM Workgroup
- eXtension CoP Urban IPM
- iSchool Pest Manager website – a national clearing house of all school IPM materials
- Stop School Pests – IPM training materials include on-line and in-class training materials. These learning lessons are for all school community stakeholder groups including school administrators, facility managers, pest management professionals/school IPM coordinators, landscape and grounds staff, custodians, maintenance staff, nurses, food service staff, and teachers.
