No Child Left Inside Act of 2009

Information from Mark Young of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association:
(The Act is going to be taken up in the fall when the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind is scheduled to be debated.)

FYI, here is a summary of the act as it stands now:

Summary of the No Child Left Inside Act of 2009

Title I ‘“ Environmental Literacy Plans

To qualify for environmental education grant programs authorized by this legislation, each state must develop and submit a comprehensive environmental literacy plan for prekindergarten, elementary, and secondary school students. The plan’s objectives would be to establish a statewide framework for: (1) preparing students to analyze major environmental issues facing the United States; (2) providing field-based experiences as part of the school curriculum; and (3) creating opportunities for environmental education-based professional development for teachers. The state plan must be peer-reviewed and approved by the United States Secretary of Education. Every 2 years, states must submit a report to the Secretary on implementation of the environmental literacy plan.

The legislation would authorize $100 million each year for FY2010 through FY2014 for states to implement their approved environmental literacy plan. Up to seventy percent of the funding would be allocated for states to competitively award to school districts and eligible partnerships to support activities that implement the literacy plan. At least 30 percent of the funding would pass through states to local school districts and eligible partnerships for professional development of teachers (under Title II below).

Title II ‘“ Establishment of Environmental Education Professional Development Grant Programs

The legislation would create a new professional development initiative to ensure that teachers possess the content knowledge and pedagogical skills to effectively teach environmental education in the classroom, including the use of innovative interdisciplinary and field-based learning strategies. An eligible partnership must include a local school district, and may include: an institution of higher education; another school district; a public elementary or secondary school or consortium of schools; or federal, state, regional, or local environmental or natural resources agencies or nonprofit organizations with demonstrated effectiveness in improving the quality of environmental education teachers. This initiative is modeled on the current Math and Science Partnerships program in Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Title III ‘“ Environmental Education Grant Program to Build National Capacity

The legislation would also authorize a new competitive grant program in Title V of ESEA to initiate, expand, or improve environmental education curriculum and programs at the state and national level. Partnerships must include at least one local school district and may include educational or environmental departments at institutions of higher education; state environmental and natural resource agencies; and nonprofit organizations. Activities would include disseminating information about successful model environmental education programs, and conducting rigorous national studies on the effectiveness of environmental education on improving student academic achievement and behavior.