What’s New in Green Education?

• U.S. Department of Education launched its Green Ribbon Schools, the first comprehensive federal policy for schools related to environment, health and education.

• The award acknowledges the work of schools in reaching high levels of achievement in: – Environmental impact and energy efficiency; – Healthy environment; and – Environmental literacy.

Put Another Way1. Schools’ and their occupants’

impact on the environment; 2. Schools’ environmental and

behavioral impact on occupants; and

3. How schools teach students about the environment and sustainability to prepare them for citizenship and employment in the 21st century.

A Means To Use Existing Resources to Achieve Current National Goals…

Economic health and stability• Much needed improvements to school

facilities create new jobs and save schools money.

• Prepare students to participate in the green economy

• Strengthen the nation's energy security • Conserve precious natural resources.

…And School and Student goals

Student Achievement• fostering health, wellness and productivity • providing a well-rounded education,• increasing STEM skills, content knowledge

and engagement• ensuring students’ college and career

preparedness

What Green Ribbon Is NOT• NOT an additional set of priorities for schools. • Connects schools with existing resources and

standards that advance current goals. • High standards that advance current aims to

cut costs, provide a well-rounded education, increase STEM skills and engagement, foster health and wellness and ensure students’ preparedness for the 21st century economy.

What Are Some of Those Existing Resources and Standards?

ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY• DOE EnergySmart Schools• DOE and EPA ENERGY STAR for K-12 School Districts• DOE America’s Home Energy Education Challenge• DOE Purchasing Specifications for Energy Efficient Products• EPA Guidelines for Energy Management Overview• DOE State Energy Program• EPA WaterSenseDo Something• Consortium for School Networking Initiative Green Computing

for K-12 Schools

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION• DOT Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety• Safe Routes to Schools • International Walk to School Month• Walking School BusRECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT• EPA WasteWise• EPA Reducing Risk From Hazardous Waste• CDC Hazardous Waste Self-Management Checklist• EPA Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools• Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl

BUILDING DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE• Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in K-12

schools

• USGBC Center for Green School Resources• Collaborative for High Performance Schools• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioni

ng Engineers Green Standard• Green Building Initiative Green GlobesAIR QUALITY• EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools• EPA Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools• EPA Clean School Bus USA• EPA Healthy Schools Environments Assessment Tool • EPA Managing Asthma in Schools• CDC Tools for Making Your School Asthma-Friendly

Contaminant ManagementEPA Buy Clean

• EPA Integrated Pest Management for Schools• EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign• EPA Radon Information• CDC Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacc

o Use• EPA Managing Asbestos in Schools• EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting in Schools• EPA Proper Maintenance, Removal and Disposal of PCB-Conta

ining Lights• CDC Underground Storage Tank Self-Inspection Checklist• EPA Schools and Mercury• EPA Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings

Nutrition and Fitness• The First Lady’s Let’s Move!• The President’s Challenge• USDA’s HealthierUS School Challenge, Garden School Program,

Agriculture In the Classroom and Farm to School Program.• EPA Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities

Partnership for A Healthier America• Alliance for a Healthier Generation• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation• PreventObesity • Green Thumb Challenge • Healthy Schools Campaign, School Food and Fitness• National Healthy Schools Day

Teaching and Learning Energy• EPA Student's Guide to Global Climate Change• DOE EnergyKids• EPA Climate Change: What You Can Do At School• EPA Energy Star Join the Fight Against Climate Cha

nge• DOE H2 Educate• Green Energy Challenge• Project Earth

STEM Content Knowledge and Thinking Skills• White House Educate to Innovate• DOE STEM Teacher Development

Environmental Education• ED Federal Resources for Educational Excellence, Environment• NOAA Climate Services: Education• NOAA B-WET• EPA Environmental Education Grants• EPA Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans• EPA President’s Environmental Youth Awards• Eco-Schools USA• Nature Net Educational Resources• US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development• National Education for Sustainability K-12 Student Learning Standards• Project Learning Tree’s Green Schools! • Facing the Future's Curriculum and Lesson Finder• Alliance for Climate Education• Green Education Foundation Sustainability Education Clearinghouse• National Resources Defense Council Green Squad• Kids for Saving the Earth Program List

Connecting to Local Outdoors• National Park Service Education Resources• National Wildlife Federation How To Create Schoolya

rd Habitats

• Fish and Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitats• Hands on the Land• School Garden Wizard• Climate Change Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for

Formal and Informal Educators

And these are just some of the resources, standards, programs and grants!

Let’s Look at How and Why Green Ribbon Schools Came to Be

• Public request to EPA, ED and White House • Concept launch with heads of EPA, ED and

CEQ in April 2011, indicating the pilot year cohort would be named in spring 2012.

• Summer developing award criteria and nomination infrastructure, consulting with associations, states, national and local NGOs, school communities, technical experts, the public, and numerous federal partners.

• Campaign for Environmental Literacy• U.S. Green Building Council• Earth Day Network• National Wildlife Federation• National Education Association • National Association of Elementary School

Principals Foundation• Healthy Schools Campaign

Which Are the Non Governmental Entities That Support This?

• National Audubon Society• Alliance to Save Energy• Clean Economy Network • Green Schools Initiative• BlueGreen Alliance• Project Learning Tree• The Need Project• Emerald Cities Collaborative• No Child Left Inside Coalition• National Environmental Education Foundation

• DoSomething.org• Green Education Foundation• Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships• Council for Education Facilities Planners

International• Facing The Future • Environmental Law Institute• National Science Teachers Association• National Clearinghouse for Educational

Facilities

• Grades of Green• National Caucus of Environmental Legislators• Educational Information and Resource Center• Alliance for Climate Education• National Association of Energy Service

Companies• Educational Information and Resource Center • American Federation of TeachersAnd these are just some of the entities that

support your efforts!

What Green Ribbon Schools DoesEncourages state education authorities and school communities to implement:– Energy and resource conservation measures that provide opportunities for school-wide savings, job creation and reduced environmental impact; –Environmental and behavioral changes that promote health and productivity; and –Environmental education to ensure learning about key social, economic and ecological relationships, reinforce STEM and develop civic engagement skills.

How Green Ribbon Schools Works• Recognizes schools that meet a variety of

existing standards, implementing or employing numerous complementary policies and resources.

• A nation-wide recognition award, not a grant.• Incents change by communicating high

standards and recognizing the most exemplary schools or individuals according to specified criteria.

Selecting Green Ribbon Schools• Schools must be nominated by their state chief

education officer and cannot apply directly to ED. • Mechanism for private schools, BIE and DOD. • State education authorities evaluate schools

based on 3 ‘Pillars’• Compliance with federal, state and local civil

rights, health, safety and environmental laws. • Based on their evaluation, state authorities send

nominees to ED.

Selection Continued

• Each state ≤ 4 schools. • ≥ 1 school with at least 40 percent of

their students from a disadvantaged background.

• 1 possible private school nomination.• ED will select approximately 50 award

winners in this pilot year.

Timeframe for Pilot Timeframe for Pilot

• November: State authorities are encouraged to notify USED of their plans to nominate schools by the 22nd.

• Nov-Dec: Nominating Authorities issue their processes and support materials for soliciting and selecting nominees for submission to ED.

• Dec- Mar: States receive applications for nomination to USED (Exact deadline set by each state nominating authority)

Timeframe

Timeframe Continued

•March: States submit nominees to ED for the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award. (Date to be indicated to states by USED)•April: Earth Day Week – USED announces winners. •May: USED hosts national recognition award ceremony. Local ceremonies are scheduled for fall 2012 at winning schools.

How Can I Help?

• Because state authorities’ participation in the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is voluntary, a state’s decision as to whether to participate in the pilot year depends on hearing from interested school communities.

• Green Ribbon Schools recognition award is not yet a certainty in every state, but can become a reality with schools’ help in asking that their state participate in nominating schools to ED.

Who Do I Contact to Participate!

Contact Your State Education Chief:http://www.ccsso.org/Who_We_Are/

Meet_the_Chiefs.html

Additional InformationWebsite http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-

ribbon-schools. Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/EDGreenRibbonSchools.

Email green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov.