SACRAMENTO -- Cal/EPA's Department of Pesticide Regulation wants to add two new "R's" in school -- Reduced Risk pest control. Toward that goal, DPR has awarded a $77,000 grant to develop and encourage reduced-risk pest management practices in schools across the state.

The school grant -- part of DPR's new Pest Management Alliance program -- will produce a school guide on reduced-risk pest management resources and solutions. A computerized system to help schools track their pesticide applications will also be developed.

The project aims to encourage the use of pest control methods that minimize potential risks to children and school staff, and that are least disruptive to the environment. DPR awarded the grant to the Self-Insured Schools of California, a risk management organization. It will administer the project statewide for the California Association of School Safety Managers.

"Schools present one of the most challenging environments for pest management," said DPR Chief Deputy Director Jean-Mari Peltier. "We must protect our children from pests that can spread illness and disease. At the same time, we recognize the concerns of parents, teachers, and administrators about pest control methods. Reduced-risk pest management can address both needs and concerns. This Alliance project will help schools, parents, and others learn about reduced-risk pest control and implement their own programs."

The Alliance project will:

• Consolidate information on best school practices for reduced risk into a guidebook that helps school administrators make pest control decisions. The guide will explain the concepts of integrated pest management (IPM), which involves pest control methods that cause the least environmental disruption. IPM blends proper planning, pest prevention, natural pest controls such as insect predators and parasites, cultural and mechanical controls, and judicious use of least-toxic pesticides.

• Create a computerized system for tracking pesticide use. The Los Angeles Unified School District has already developed a system, and has agreed to lend its expertise to the project for use by school districts statewide. Hard-copy systems will also be identified for districts with more modest record-keeping requirements. Such systems will allow schools to evaluate their current practices and establish benchmarks against which to measure the effectiveness of IPM.

• Develop a training and education curriculum for school districts. The curriculum will offer individualized IPM instruction to fit the needs of school administrators, teachers and other staff members, and workers who deal directly with pest control. For the latter, a video will be produced to accompany the training manual.

• Produce an educational video for parents and community groups. The video will address the principles of IPM and acquaint interested parties with various pest management issues faced by school administrators.

DPR created the Pest Management Alliance program to develop and promote large-scale, reduced-risk solutions to critical pest management problems in both urban and agricultural settings. The Alliance has devoted about $750,000 this year to evaluate and fund such projects. In addition to the school Alliance grant, DPR awarded seven grants for agricultural projects that seek alternatives for high-toxicity chemicals, reduce or eliminate pesticide runoff into water, and promote IPM practices. Alliance grants are eligible for renewal in the upcoming fiscal year.

Through the Alliance and other programs, DPR has awarded about $1.5 million in grants this year for reduced-risk pest management.