Green Schools Have Come of Age!

• U.S. Department of Education began ED-GRS recognition award in Fall 2011 and named the first cohort in April 2012.

• The award highlights the innovative best practices of a handful of schools that are: – Reducing environmental impact and costs; – Improving health and wellness; and – Providing effective environmental and sustainability

education.

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 jobs and save schools money. • Prepare students to participate in the green

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

…And School and Student goals

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

and engagement• ensuring students’ college and career

preparedness and civic skills

What ED-Green Ribbon Schools is Not

• NOT an additional set of priorities for schools. • Instead, it connects schools with existing

resources and standards that advance current goals.

• These are 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 21st century economy and citizenship.

Let’s Look at How and Why ED-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 2011 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 Steering CommitteeCampaign for Environmental LiteracyEarth Day NetworkNational Wildlife FederationU.S. Green Building Council

Supporting Organizations (National)Alliance for Climate Education Alliance to Save Energy American Architectural FoundationAmerican Federation of TeachersAmerican Montessori SocietyAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education BlueGreen AllianceCommittee on Architecture for EducationCouncil of Educational Facility Planners International Council of Environmental Deans and DirectorsEarth ForceGreen Charter Schools NetworkGreen Community SchoolsGreen Fox SchoolsGreen Schools AllianceGreen Schools InitiativeGreen Schools NetworkGreen SchoolsGREENGUARD Environmental InstituteHealthy Schools CampaignHispanic Access FoundationNational Association of Elementary School PrincipalsNational Association of Independent SchoolsNational Audubon SocietyNational Clearinghouse for Educational FacilitiesNational Council for Science and the EnvironmentNational Education AssociationNational Energy Education Development ProjectNational Green Schools CoalitionNational Green Schools NetworkNational School Boards AssociationNational Science Teachers AssociationNorth American Association for Environmental EducationOcean FoundationProject Learning TreeU.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable DevelopmentZerofootprint Challenge for Schools

Supporting Organizations (State)Arkansas Environmental Education AssociationCalifornia Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education Environmental Education Alliance of GeorgiaEnvironmental Education Association of AlabamaEnvironmental Education Association of New MexicoEnvironmental Education Association of OregonEnvironmental Education Association of WashingtonEnvironment Education Connections of South DakotaEnvironmental Education Council of OhioEnvironmental Educators of North CarolinaHawaii Environmental Education AllianceIdaho Environmental Education AssociationKansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education Kansas Green Schools ProgramKentucky Association for Environmental EducationKentucky Environmental Education Council Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor EducationMaryland Green SchoolsMinnesota Association for Environmental EducationMissouri Environmental Education AssociationNebraska Association for Conservation and Environmental EducationNew York State Outdoor Education AssociationOregon Green SchoolsPennsylvania Association of Environmental EducatorsRhode Island Environmental Education AssociationSouth Carolina Green Steps SchoolsTennessee Environmental Education AssociationTennessee Environmental Literacy Working Group Texas Green Ribbon Schools Utah Society for Environmental Education Vermont Sweep: State-Wide Environmental Education ProgramsWashington Green SchoolsWest Virginia Green SchoolsWest Virginia Environmental Education Association Wisconsin Green & Healthy Schools

3

How ED-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.

• State applications are a learning tool for schools to obtain a baseline assessment in all three Pillars

Green Schools National Conference, Denver, CO, February 28, 2012

34 Authorities Intending to Nominate in 2012-201340 Authorities Intending to Nominate in 2012-2013

Selecting ED-Green Ribbon Schools

• Schools must be nominated by their state education agency and cannot apply directly to ED.

• Mechanism for private, BIE and DOD schools. • 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 USED.

Communicating Best Practices• The Green Strides Webinar Series: Green

Ribbon is not a certification or program. It will highlight just a few exemplary schools each year. Through the Strides Series (GSWS) it connects all states, districts and schools with existing resources.

• The blog, newsletter, Facebook and speakers bureau are other opportunities to connect schools with federal resources and expertise.

Timeframe for Pilot Timeframe for Pilot • Summer 2012: States encouraged to indicate their intent

to submit nominees to USED. • July: ED provides 2012-2013 criteria• Sept: States begin selection processes• December: States select nominees to USED. • February 15: States submit nominees to ED for the Green

Ribbon Schools recognition award. • April 22: USED announces honorees. • June 3: USED hosts national recognition award ceremony.

(all dates tentative)

Timeframe 2012-2013 Year

Additional InformationBlog http://www.ed.gov/blog/tag/green-ribbon-schools/Website http://www.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools. Facebook http://www.facebook.com/EDGreenRibbonSchools. Email green.ribbon.schools@ed.gov.