With hundreds of thousands of children already back to school across the country, there's a renewed focus on making sure their classrooms aren't health hazards. Lead pipes, substandard air filtration, lack of light and even bad acoustics have all proven to affect students, both academically and physically.

Spectrum News national health reporter Erin Billups visited two school districts working to create safe and healthy environments for their students in a new Spectrum News special, "Curing Our Classrooms." She joined NY1's Errol Louis to discuss why she decided to report on the "health" of school buildings, what she noticed when schools become modernized, the nearly impossible task of America raising the $85 billion it needs to fully renovate public schools, and why she's still hopeful that things can change.

You can watch the full special here.

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