Information on the costs of and financial aid available to schools for asbestos abatement is provided in this report. Data are based on interviews with officials from 15 school districts in 5 states--Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Section 1 provides background on the use of asbestos in buildings, health problems, federal legislation and regulations, and the study's research design. The second section outlines asbestos safety requirements for schools as required by three federal laws--Environmental Protection Agency standards under the Clean Air Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986. Options for reducing asbestos exposure--removal or inplace management--are described in the third section. Section 4 presents information on costs to manage or abate asbestos, with a focus on cost estimates and available federal assistance. Three tables and an appendix of major contributors to this fact sheet are included. (LMI)