Assessing Flood Resilience for North Carolina Schools and Childcare Centers

In the aftermath of extreme weather events like hurricanes and floods, unseen hazards remain that can pose serious threats to human health and children’s safety. In addition to the damage flooding causes to plumbing and other infrastructure, it can damage protective coatings on pipes, compromise walls and flooring, and expose existing lead and asbestos materials. It is especially important to prioritize safety in schools and childcare centers, to mitigate the effects of hazardous environments that may have been created.

In North Carolina, devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Chantal underscored this urgent need. 

The Effects of Tropical Storm Chantal and Hurricane Helene Events in North Carolina

In September 2024, Western North Carolina experienced three days of precipitation and flooding—the convergence of a slow-moving storm system and Hurricane Helene. The impacts from Hurricane Helene, including power outages, road closures, disruption of public water systems, destruction of buildings and businesses, and the devastating loss of lives, will be felt in these communities for decades. The National Hurricane Center estimated that North Carolina’s total damage from Helene is over $79 billion, with homes, businesses, roads, and public infrastructure hit especially hard.           

Then in July 2025, Tropical Storm Chantal brought over 12 inches of rain in 24 hours to parts of Central North Carolina, triggering record flash flooding in communities. Schools suffered millions in losses to materials and furniture, forcing delays to the start of the academic year. Roads, wooden bridges, and boardwalks were washed out, leading to the closure of state parks and the cancellation of summer camps. With natural disasters becoming more common and severe, increasing community resilience can  help minimize risk and prevent negative impacts.

A Geospatial Analysis of Flooding Resilience and Risk to Child Learning Facilities

The impact on Western and Central North Carolina demonstrates the urgent need for enhanced resilience and disaster preparation across the state. This prompted our evaluation to identify the areas in North Carolina that are most and least resilient, based on environmental risks and social vulnerability.

To help North Carolina recover and prepare for future floods, we mapped the state’s child learning facilities, highlighting areas with the highest risk of riverine flooding, and areas where post-flood resilience may be lacking. We analyzed data from the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids program in conjunction with the riverine flooding risk and social vulnerability indices from the National Risk Index at the census tract level. The National Risk Index is an online tool developed to help communities, stakeholders, and decision makers understand their relative risk to natural and social hazards. In schools and child     care facilities, we investigated building age, percentage of kids that receive free/reduced lunch, and race/ethnicity to delineate resilient areas.

By the end of 2024, 1,136 schools and 5,483 childcare facilities (including family childcare homes) across North Carolina were enrolled in the Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids program. Nearly 40% of them  are in higher flooding risk areas, and almost 90% of those facilities are located in higher social vulnerability risk areas based on socioeconomic status, household composition, and minority status (see Table). 

Infants and children risk contracting potential illnesses from unsafe well water, and while only 6% of child learning facilities in higher flood risk areas across North Carolina report getting their drinking water from private wells, the percentage is higher in Western North Carolina—up to 9% of schools and 12% of childcare facilities. In the areas affected by Tropical Storm Chantal, 8% of childcare facilities and schools rely on private well water. 

School buildings also tended to be older in higher flood risk areas, which can indicate potential structural concerns that pose a higher risk of exposure to lead and asbestos. Buildings built prior to 1988 are more likely to contain asbestos hazards, but asbestos can also be found in post-1988 buildings.      

Lastly, we found that facilities in higher flooding risk areas were more likely to have a student population where 50% or more of the students were receiving free or reduced school lunches. Cumulative exposure to both these social and physical hazards can have a significant impact on children’s overall health and contribute to various health challenges throughout their lives.

Building Flood Resilience in North Carolina and Next Steps

 Creating healthier, more resilient environments for children and families in North Carolina demands a concerted effort. RTI CleanPlus assesses, tests, and mitigates hazards at child-occupied facilities in North Carolina and beyond. 

Decision makers and community members concerned with and involved in protecting children’s health have a role to play. In building resilience, it’s crucial to understand:

• Which schools and child-care facilities are more at risk for flooding to help prioritize resources.
• Rural schools and child-care centers often have aging buildings and higher rates of well water usage, meaning they may face additional struggles.
• Private well users face the additional burden of water testing—which is handled by local utilities for their customers.
• In areas with reduced health care access, risks to children and families can accumulate after natural disasters.
• Following periods of non-use or flood-induced service disruption, schools, childcare facilities, and residents should flush water pipes to remove scale buildup and lead levels.
• How to contact local water resource staff to stay up-to-date on testing needs and water quality reports for contaminants.

Together we can prioritize resources, rebuild resilient infrastructure, and ensure every child has access to safe water and health learning spaces.