K12 ClimateActionPlan

September 2021
K12
CLIMATE
ACTION
PLAN
Climate Action Plan-2021 | 1

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C.
Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue
for dealing with critical issues. www.aspeninstitute.org
The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP) provides nonpartisan leadership and a
neutral forum for improving energy and environmental policymaking through values-based dialogue. The
Program convenes strategic groups of experts from government, business, academia, and nonprofit
organizations in dialogue structured and moderated for discussion, exploration, and consensus building.
www.aspeninstitute.org/ee
K12 Climate Action within the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program seeks to unlock
the power of the education sector to be a force toward climate action, solutions, and environmental
justice. The K12 Climate Action commission is developing an action plan and building a coalition to
support the education sector in moving toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice.
www.k12climateaction.org
We would like to thank Justin Kemerling Design Co. for supporting the graphic design for this report and
Frontwood Strategies for their guidance. We also thank the Alisann and Terry Collins Foundation, the
Chicago Community Foundation, the McCance Foundation, Pure Edge, and Rockefeller Philanthropy
Advisors for their generous support of K12 Climate Action.
Thank you to the following people who have shared their stories and informed our work:
Superintendent K. Kevin Aten, Addy Battel, Nichole Berg, Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Andrew Brennen,
Laura Capps, Secretary Miguel Cardona, Dr. Victor Carrion, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Kumar
Chandran, Tim Cole, Mia DiLorenzo, Rich DiMatteo, Jerome Foster II, Katherine Garcia, Jodi Grant, Maya
Green, Otis Hackney, Superintendent William Hite, Jr., Amara Ifeji, Governor Jay Inslee, Brian Kennedy,
Anna King, Wyck Knox, Melissa Lau, Norah Laughter, Jennifer LeBret, Herb Lee, Michael Levine, Andie
Madsen, Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, Sadiya Muqueeth, First Lady of New Jersey Tammy Murphy,
Chris Neitzey, Frank Niepold, Ndidi Opara, Michaelrose Ravalier, Administrator Michael Regan, Diane
Regas, Gilbert Rosas, Andreas Schleicher, Representative Bobby Scott, Diallo Shabazz, Mayor Francis
Suarez, Tish Tablan, Mahider Tadesse, Dr. Carrie Tzou, Kenneth Varner, and Leigh Walden as well as all the
students, parents, educators, and supporters who shared with us their ideas.
We thank the following people for providing feedback on subsections of this report:
Andrew Brennen, Jonathan Garfinkel, Kalikoonāmaukūpuna Kalāhiki (Kanaka Maoli), Lori Takeuchi,
Michael Levine, Owen L. Oliver (Quinault /Isleta Pueblo), Talise Mendoza-Green (Klamath Tribes),
and Taylor Kahn-Perry.
Thank you to the organizations in the K12 Climate Action Coalition for their support, guidance, and collaboration.
For all inquiries, please contact:

[email protected]
Copyright © 2021 by The Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute 2300 N Street, NW | Suite 700
Washington, DC 20037
Published in the United States of America in 2021 by The Aspen Institute
All rights reserved
K12 Climate Action Commission. (2021). K12 Climate Action Plan 2021.
The Aspen Institute: Washington, DC. https://www.k12climateaction.org/blog/climate-action-plan-2021

K12 Climate Action Commission
John B. King Jr., co-chair Christine Todd Whitman, co-chair
U.S. Secretary of Education EPA Administrator (Bush Administration)
(Obama Administration) 50th Governor of New Jersey
Naina Agrawal-Hardin Megan Bang

Climate Activist Professor
Northwestern University
Vic Barrett Representative Carlos Curbelo

Network Organizer Principal
PowerShift Vocero, LLC
Linda Darling-Hammond Debra Duardo

President Superintendent of Schools
California State Board of Education Los Angeles County
Lisa Hoyos Richard Knoeppel

Founder, Climate Parents Educator
Director Climate Strategy, LCV Advanced Technologies Academy
Dan Lashof Jack Markell, emeritus

U.S. Director Governor of Delaware
World Resources Institute (2009-2017)
Pedro Martinez Marc Morial

Superintendent President and CEO
San Antonio Independent School District National Urban League
Janet Murguía Kiera O’Brien

President and CEO Founder
UnidosUS Young Conservatives for Carbon Dividends
Nikki Pitre Becky Pringle

Executive Director President
Center for Native American Youth National Education Association
Carla Thompson Payton Pedro Rivera

Vice President President
W.K. Kellogg Foundation Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology
Valerie Rockefeller Randi Weingarten

Board Chair President
Rockefeller Brothers Fund American Federation of Teachers
Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The K12 Climate Action Commission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Adaptation & Resilience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Advancing Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Menu of Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Photos by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
From wildfires to flooding to extreme heat, the impacts of climate change are
threatening our communities, our health, our wellbeing, our economy, and our
future. The existential threat of climate change will increasingly impact all aspects
of our society from agriculture to business, from healthcare to education. Heat, air
pollution, and extreme weather are already impacting students' health and learning
and will only be exacerbated in the future. We must all determine our responsibility
to take action and advance climate solutions. To date, the education sector has yet
to establish its role in addressing climate change, and large-scale climate solutions
too often overlook the role education can play.
Through this action plan, we identify the opportunity We envision a future where America’s over 100,000
for the education sector to take action, advance schools are models for climate action, climate
climate solutions, and prepare today’s students to solutions, and sustainability, and the 50 million
lead a sustainable future. For this plan to succeed, children and youth in these schools are prepared
policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels to succeed in the clean economy and lead a more
must work in collaboration with school leaders, sustainable, resilient, and equitable society.
educators, students, families, and communities. Today’s youth are rightly demanding we all take
We outline recommendations for policymakers at action to address climate change. By supporting
every level to catalyze and scale localized action our schools in becoming models for climate action,
across the country. solutions, and environmental justice, we can build
lasting change to advance a sustainable future.

K12 CLIMATE ACTION COMMISSION
In the fall of 2020, the K12 Climate Action Over the last year, we held a listening tour to learn
Commission — 22 education, environment, about the needs and opportunities to support
youth, civil rights leaders, and more — came the education sector in addressing climate
together to recognize the urgency of climate change. We heard from youth, educators, school
change and the opportunity for the education leaders, parents and caregivers, researchers, and
sector to be a leader in creating a more policymakers from across the country. We are
sustainable society. We believe in the potential inspired by their leadership and success in taking
to unlock the power of the education sector as climate action in their communities and have
a force for climate action, climate solutions, grounded this action plan in what we learned.
and environmental justice.
To unlock the power of the education sector, we must build on existing successes and use policy to
catalyze and scale continued action to address climate change in schools. We have identified the need to:
MITIGATE. The education sector has a substantial environmental footprint. Our nearly 100,000
public K-12 schools sit on 2 million acres of land and are one of the largest public energy
consumers. With 480,000 school buses, our schools operate the largest mass transit
fleet in the country. Schools also serve over 7 billion meals each year and generate
530,000 tons of food waste. To mitigate climate change, the education sector can reduce
its carbon footprint and transition to clean energy and sustainable operations.
ADAPT. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how disruptions to our schools affect
all communities. The increasingly widespread impacts of climate change are also
disrupting schools, impacting health and learning, and exposing students and
communities to trauma and uncertainty. Yet, schools can be key to helping our
communities adapt. Schools can work to ensure continued support for learning and
services, and school facilities can be used as hubs of community resilience. To adapt
to climate change, the education sector can proactively plan and build resilience in
preparation for climate impacts.
EDUCATE. Educators are uniquely positioned to develop, engage, and prepare the rising
generation of students to be better equipped to address climate change and to
succeed in the clean economy. Educators across subject areas in school and in
out-of-school programs can support teaching and learning on sustainability, the
environment, green jobs, and climate change and empower students with agency
to advance solutions. The education sector can support teaching and learning on
climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability to prepare students to lead a
sustainable future and succeed in the clean economy.
ADVANCE Climate change disproportionately impacts Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American
EQUITY. and Pacific Islander, and other communities of color and low-income rural and urban
communities. Climate action in the education sector must center the voices and
experiences of students and families in these communities and prioritize their needs
and strengths. To advance equity, the education sector can prioritize communities
most impacted by climate change and involve students, families, and community
members in decisions about climate action.

For the education sector to effectively mitigate, adapt, educate, and advance equity to address climate
change, we need collaboration across all levels of government and across sectors, including advocacy,
business, media, and philanthropy.
SPECIFICALLY, WE RECOMMEND LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS:
LOCAL Recommendation 1: Acknowledge and prioritize the opportunity for the education
sector to advance climate solutions.
Recommendation 2: Develop and implement comprehensive local K-12 climate action

plans to consider the needs and opportunities to mitigate, adapt, educate, and advance
equity to address climate change. These plans should:
2.1: Support mitigation strategies to transition to clean energy, clean transportation,

sustainable food use, and building electrification and to promote healthy learning
environments with improved air quality and safe drinking water that are free of
environmental toxins.
2.2: Support adaptation and resilience strategies by assessing local climate risks and
determining school needs to prepare, adapt, and build resilience to climate change.
2.3: Support teaching and learning on climate change, climate solutions, and
sustainability to further integrate teaching and learning about climate change across the
curriculum and prepare students for the clean economy.
2.4: Advance equity while developing local K-12 climate action plans by engaging and
prioritizing students, families, and communities who are disproportionately impacted
by climate change.

STATE Recommendation 1: Take a whole-of-state approach to address climate change and
include education. This whole-of-state approach should:
1.1: Integrate education in plans to address climate change.

1.2: Establish targets and support implementation for transitioning schools to clean
energy, building electrification, and electric buses.
1.3: Prioritize communities most impacted by climate change and education inequities.
1.4: Center student voice in developing plans to support the education sector in taking
climate action.
Recommendation 2: Support the development and implementation of comprehensive

local K-12 climate action plans. States can play a critical role in supporting local K-12 climate
action plans by providing guidance, technical assistance, funding, and resources to school
districts to assess local needs and assets and support implementation of local K-12 climate
action plans.
Recommendation 3: Advance state-level programs and policies to support mitigation,

adaptation, and resilience.
3.1: Ensure funding for school infrastructure and school building codes support clean,
efficient, sustainable, resilient, and healthy learning environments for children.
3.2: Support the transition to electric school bus fleets.
3.3: Expand access to locally-grown, healthy, sustainable food and increase
opportunities for food donation, food rescue, and composting.
3.4: Develop financial incentives or opportunities to support schools in transitioning
to clean energy, transportation, and sustainable food.
3.5: Ensure plans for virtual learning can be effective and provide access to all students
in preparation for climate-related learning disruptions.
3.6: Support school districts in assessing their vulnerability to climate change and
equipping schools as hubs for community resilience.
3.7: Support districts in creating green sustainable schoolyards.
Recommendation 4: Advance state-level programs and policies to support education.
4.1: Integrate climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability in standards

across grades and subjects and develop curriculum frameworks, provide professional
development, and leverage certification to support educators in teaching the standards.
4.2: Develop career and technical education opportunities to prepare students for jobs in
the clean economy and integrate environmental sustainability across all career pathways.

FEDERAL Recommendation 1: Elevate and amplify the role education can play in climate solutions.
The White House, Department of Education, and other agencies can use their platforms,
convening power, and resources to help communicate the need and opportunity for the
education sector to contribute to climate solutions. We recommend that the federal
government take the following actions to demonstrate leadership to support climate action in
schools:
1.1: Build cross-agency collaboration to support the education sector

in taking climate action.
1.2: Establish climate change as a U.S. Department of Education priority.
1.3: Center student voice in developing plans to support the education sector
in taking climate action.
1.4: Research, recognize, and effectively disseminate best practices gathered across
federal agencies to provide states, districts, and schools with easy access to information,
research, and strategies to support the sector in moving to climate action.
Recommendation 2: Support the development and implementation of comprehensive

local K-12 climate action plans. Grants from the federal government can be used to help
school districts develop and implement comprehensive climate action plans to mitigate,
adapt, educate, and advance equity to address climate change.
Recommendation 3: Advance federal policies and programs to support mitigation,

adaptation, and resilience.
3.1: Invest in school infrastructure to promote clean energy, clean air, clean water,
sustainable schoolyards, sustainable food, and climate adaptation and resilience.
3.2: Support the transition to electric school bus fleets.
3.3: Expand access to locally-grown, healthy, sustainable food and increase
opportunities for food donation, food rescue, and composting.
3.4: Increase broadband access for schools and families.
3.5: Establish financing opportunities through tax incentives, bond authority,
and revolving loan funds.
Recommendation 4: Advance federal policies and programs to support education.
4.1: Prepare youth for jobs in the clean economy and integrate environmental
sustainability across all career pathways through career and technical education.
4.2: Enable professional development and teacher preparation programs to support
teaching and learning on climate change, climate solutions, and environmental justice.
4.3: Emphasize the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems through existing
programs to support Indian Education, Native Hawaiian Education, and Native
Alaskan Education and disseminate best practices to build broader awareness
of Indigenous knowledge.

To the young people listening who are
passionate about protecting the climate
and their communities but don’t know
where to start — look to your schools,
there is work to be done.
And to the adults listening who believe
in the role our education system must
play in addressing climate change and
preparing citizens to participate robustly
in our democracy, find ways to partner
with young people in your community.
You have as much to learn from them, as
they do from you.”
— Andrew Brennen,
Co-Founder Kentucky Student Voice Team

INTRODUCTION
From stories of wildfires on the news to flooding in our backyards, the impacts of
climate change are happening now. With the recent release of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change report, the UN Secretary-General identified the accelerating
impacts of human-caused climate change as a “code red for humanity.”* Climate
change will increasingly impact every part of our society from transportation to
business, from agriculture to education. To address climate change, we can no longer
consider it an issue for those from the energy and environment sectors to tackle on
their own but rather every sector—and everyone—must step up and determine its
role in being part of the solution.
We are youth, parents and caregivers, educators,
school leaders, advocates, researchers,
policymakers, and more. We have come together
to create this action plan to outline the opportunity
for America’s K through 12 grade education sector
to join the fight against climate change.
*United Nations, “Secretary-General Calls Latest IPCC Climate Report ‘Code Red for Humanity’, Stressing ‘Irrefutable’ Evidence of Human
Influence,” press release, August 9, 2021, https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20847.doc.htm
MISSION: Our mission is to unlock the power of the public K-12 education sector to be a force
for climate action, solutions, and environmental justice to help prepare children
and youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable society.
BELIEFS: We believe today’s children and youth will be essential in the fight against climate
change, and we must empower children and youth with the knowledge and
skills to build a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable world.
VISION: We envision a future where America’s over 100,000 schools are models for
climate action, climate solutions, and sustainability, and the 50 million children
and youth in these schools are prepared to succeed in the clean economy and
lead a more healthy, sustainable, adaptable, resilient, and equitable society.
■ For this vision to happen, we believe in ten years:

• Our nearly 100,000 public schools will run on clean renewable energy,
have healthy air quality and clean drinking water, be equipped to adapt to
local climate impacts, and be equipped as centers of community resilience;
• Our 480,000 school buses will be electric and run on clean electricity;
• Our over 7 billion meals served in public schools will utilize locally-grown,
sustainable, healthy food, and any food waste will be diverted or composted;
• The over 2 million acres of land our schools control will have green sustainable
schoolyards, provide healthy and safe spaces for students to learn and play,
reduce community heat and flooding, and increase access to green space for
communities;
• The over 50 million children and youth in schools will have the opportunity
to learn about climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability across
the curriculum, be empowered with the agency to advance climate solutions,
be prepared for good jobs in the clean economy, and have the needed social,
emotional, and learning supports to build resilience in the face of climate change.
■ For this vision to happen, policymakers and stakeholders will need

to act systemically now to advance climate action. We believe in
the next five years:
• The federal government and state governments should provide local
school districts with the funding, resources, and support to ensure healthy,
sustainable, and resilient learning environments, build the capacity of
educators to support teaching and learning, and support the development
and implementation of local K-12 climate action plans in particular in under-
resourced communities most impacted by climate change and pollution;
• All school districts will have developed, in collaboration with students,
educators, and the community, K-12 climate action plans based on local needs
and assets to support their schools in mitigating, adapting, educating, and
advancing equity to address climate change;
• Business and philanthropy will recognize the opportunity to support and
invest in schools taking climate action; and
• Advocacy and the media will help build the narrative for supporting our
schools in moving toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice.

In this action plan, we focus on public schools,
which are the responsibility of the federal, state,
and local governments. Serving nearly one in
six Americans, K through 12 public schools can
play a critical role in moving our country towards
environmental sustainability. If all the schools in the
U.S. shift to clean energy, sustainable food use, clean
transportation, and green sustainable schoolyards
over the next decade, we will have successfully
reduced reliance on fossil fuels for one of the largest
public sectors impacting the environment. If we help
schools better prepare for the impacts of climate
change, we will have built a more resilient school
system for our children, youth, and communities.
And what makes schools especially impactful is
the potential for them to transition to sustainability
and build resilience while educating their students,
As public entities, public schools need the support
helping prepare youth to succeed in a clean economy
of policy, but few policy proposals consider the role
and confront deepening climate challenges.
of the education sector in advancing sustainability
and few school systems have acted systemically to
address climate change.
Over the past year, we held a listening tour to

learn more about the needs for the education
sector to address climate change. We heard from
young leaders in Utah, Kentucky, and Maine to
superintendents in Miami, Philadelphia, and rural
Colorado. We heard from educators from Oklahoma,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Spokane Tribe, New
York, and more. What we learned from their stories
is not just the urgency of climate change but also
the amazing work currently underway across the
country and the opportunity for policymakers to
work alongside local communities, Tribes, advocacy
organizations, business, philanthropy, and media
to scale this work to help prepare children and
youth to advance a more sustainable, resilient, and
equitable future.

In this action plan, we outline how schools can help contribute to climate solutions
through strategies to:
MITIGATE. To help mitigate the impacts of climate change, schools can reduce their carbon
emissions and reliance on fossil fuels. With 98,000 schools across the country, they
are among the largest energy consumers in the public sector, serve over 7 billion
meals annually with related food waste and use about 480,000 diesel school buses
for transportation–the largest mass transit fleet in the country. In this action plan, we
highlight the needs, opportunities and implications for schools to transition to more
sustainable operations.
ADAPT. Extreme weather has already impacted schools across the country. Climate
change, exposure to pollutants, and food insecurity are harming children’s health.
School closures related to COVID-19 have exposed weaknesses in the resilience of
school systems, which will be exacerbated by climate impacts. Yet, opportunities
to proactively plan, provide students with mental health support, and transition
schoolyards to absorb stormwater, reduce heat, and create healthy spaces to learn
and play can help build resilience. In this action plan, we highlight the needs and
opportunities for schools to adapt and build resilience in preparation for disruptions
and negative impacts related to climate change.
EDUCATE. Educators are uniquely positioned to develop, engage, and prepare a new generation
of students to be better equipped address with climate change. Educators across
subject areas can support teaching and learning on sustainability, the environment,
green jobs, and climate change to help ensure today’s students are equipped with
the knowledge and skills to advance a more sustainable and resilient society in
their future. In this action plan, we highlight how teaching and learning in formal and
informal settings can empower children and youth with the knowledge and skills to
build a more sustainable world.
ADVANCE Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other
EQUITY. communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately
impacted by the negative consequences of climate change, and yet all too often are
underrepresented in conversations about climate solutions. In this action plan, we
highlight the intersections between equity, race, income, and climate change and the
opportunity to center under-resourced urban and rural communities and historically
underrepresented students and families in advancing climate action in schools.
The work of supporting our education sector in addressing climate change cannot be done without
collaboration across the federal, state, and local levels and can be tackled best with intergenerational
partnerships with business, philanthropy, media, and student, family, and educator advocacy. In this action
plan, we outline the opportunity and steps each of these groups can take to support climate action in our
schools. Finally, we include a menu of solutions schools can consider based on their local needs and context to
help address climate change.
As a country, we are working to address climate change and take climate action with immediate steps to invest
in technology, research, and decarbonization. These technical solutions are critical to address the urgency. The
consequences, however, will be with us for decades to come, and we must take action beyond the immediate.
By investing in our children, youth, and schools, we can take the immediate action of decarbonizing a large
public sector and build lasting change to a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future.

MITIGATION
The nation’s 98,000 K-12 public schools have a significant environmental impact.1
In order to serve over 50 million students in every community across the country,
schools have a variety of resource needs that impact the environment, including
energy, buildings, land, food, water, and transportation. 2 In fact, schools are one of
the largest public sector energy consumers, operate the largest mass transit fleet
in the country, occupy 2 million acres of land, and serve over 7 billion meals annually
with related food waste.3 Energy, transportation, food, and other school operations
all contribute to the sector’s carbon emissions, and as public entities, our schools
require the support of the public to decarbonize.
In addition to benefiting the environment, improving As schools transition to more sustainable practices
sustainability in schools can protect the health and in their buildings, grounds, and transportation, they
safety of students and educators, improve learning create hands-on learning opportunities for students.9
outcomes, and build resilience for communities.4 Actively engaging in sustainable practices and climate
Poor indoor air quality, contaminated drinking water, mitigation at school can help students understand how
environmental hazards, and diesel pollution have they can take climate action, which creates a sense of
significant impacts on student health and learning.5 agency. Educators can use school infrastructure and
Efforts such as transitioning to electric school sustainability improvements to teach students about
buses and electrifying buildings can help reduce air clean energy, composting, electric vehicles, and more,
pollution. Ensuring schools have clean water, green enabling them to be better prepared to support our
schoolyards, and modern HVAC systems are three larger societal efforts for decarbonization.
examples of how sustainable infrastructure supports
students’ health by reducing the risks of asthma
in children and improving attendance.6 Supporting
schools in serving healthy food, including locally-
grown sustainable food, can promote better child
nutrition and healthy eating habits.7
Helping our schools mitigate their environmental
impact enables schools to create healthy sustainable
learning environments for children and communities.
Providing these learning environments which improve
health and learning outcomes can reduce longer-term
healthcare costs and improve participation in the
economy.8 Sustainability efforts also reduce costs for
schools and districts on maintenance and operations,
allowing schools to repurpose funding previously spent
on operational costs to teaching and learning.

School Buildings and Energy
Buildings account for almost 40% of carbon dioxide Other infrastructure improvements such as
emissions in the U.S., and with over 98,000 school geothermal heating and cooling, LED lighting,
buildings across the country, schools have the and green roofs can help schools decrease their
collective potential to help lower greenhouse gas reliance on fossil fuels and support decarbonization.
emissions.10 Energy costs are the second-largest Berkeley County Schools in West Virginia installed
costs for school districts, second only to salaries.11 geothermal heating and cooling systems in seven
Reducing schools’ environmental impacts through schools and made additional energy efficiency
energy efficiency, clean energy, energy education, upgrades, resulting in a 75% decrease in energy use
and sustainable infrastructure has environmental, in those schools.15 In Virginia, the Manassas Park
financial, and health benefits. Elementary School building design uses a variety
of innovative strategies for lighting, ventilation, and
insulation. Together, the sustainability measures are
expected to reduce carbon emissions by 37% and
use nearly half as much energy as the average K-12
WHAT WE’VE HEARD school building.17 As schools begin to incorporate
During our listening session on more sustainable facilities improvements, they can
mitigation, energy education
consider pursuing sustainability-related certificates
from existing programs, such as Leadership in
specialist Gilbert Rosas of Stockton Unified
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the
School District in California spoke about helping
Collaborative for High Performance Schools.
students promote energy efficiency within their
schools through the student energy patrol
program.12 Gilbert shared that the school district
is on track to save $22 million in ten years BRIGHT SPOTS
through energy conservation, solar panels, and
In Arkansas, Batesville School
solar battery storage at schools.
District worked with teachers to
reduce energy consumption and installed solar
panels on two schools.16 The combined 1,483
Using solar energy is one way schools can lower their solar panels generate half of the district’s energy
environmental footprints and contribute to reducing needs and save the district $100,000 per year
greenhouse gas emissions. Solar-powered schools in energy costs. The district is on track to save
are becoming more popular each year. As of 2019, $4 million over 20 years from a combination of
there were 6,839 solar public K-12 schools in the
solar power generation, energy conservation,
U.S., with a 144% growth rate in the last five years.13
and improved water efficiency, with a portion of
Yet, there is still a significant gap — only 7% of public
the savings already being used to raise teacher
schools currently use solar energy. This creates
salaries. Teachers also received training on how to
huge potential to support the expansion of solar
panels on school campuses. Schools can make use incorporate solar technology into STEM classes.
of solar energy, other renewable energy sources,

and energy-efficiency improvements through either
new construction or retrofitting existing buildings.
Renewable energy for schools with battery storage
can also have the added benefit of building
community resilience by creating microgrid energy
systems for the community. Direct ownership of
solar can maximize annual cost-saving benefits for
schools, or, currently, about half of all states allow
power purchase agreements which enable third-
party ownership and minimize upfront costs.15 Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

Net-zero energy schools, which produce as much Many schools around the country, however,
clean energy as they consume, have especially have aging infrastructure, which has negative
high benefits for both the environment and school implications for energy efficiency, health, and
budgets.18 As of 2019, 11 states had at least one learning. A recent GAO report found that 54%
public K–12 school that was net-zero energy of districts need to replace at least two building
certified or verified by the New Buildings Institute, systems in many of their schools. 20 In total, the
and 17 states had at least one public K–12 school country underinvests in school facilities by $46
which was considered net-zero energy emerging.19 billion annually.21 Communities of color and low-
To achieve net-zero emissions, schools often income communities are more likely to have aging
use solar panels as well as building designs and infrastructure and higher maintenance costs due to
other elements that support energy efficiency. inequitable school funding structures and historic
While many net-zero energy schools are built underinvestment. 22 These additional costs often
new, schools can also retrofit existing buildings to prevent these communities from being able to
achieve net-zero or close to net-zero energy status. afford the upfront costs needed to improve school
Importantly, designing new buildings to target net- infrastructure. Sustainability focused school
zero energy can often be done in the same budget infrastructure investments will be critical to help the
as other new buildings. education sector transition schools to clean energy.

School Transportation
Students use a variety of transportation methods The nation’s 480,000 school buses are the largest
to get to school, including biking, walking, public mass transit fleet in the country. 25 During the 2017-
transportation, school buses, and private cars. 2018 school year, school buses drove nearly 23.3
These options represent a range of environmental million students about 3.45 billion miles. Currently,
impacts, and each transportation option comes 94% of school buses are diesel powered. 26 Diesel
with different safety concerns and feasibility engines create air pollution, which contributes
across communities. School buses are one of to climate change, harms students’ health, and
the most common ways students get to and from impacts academic performance and absenteeism. 27
school — during the 2018-19 school year, 57% of Students of color are disproportionately exposed
public school students took school buses to get to to air pollution, contributing to higher rates of
school. 23 Students from low-income families are asthma and other health issues. 28
more likely to ride school buses to get to school Transitioning to electric school buses has
than students from higher-income families who substantial environmental, economic, and health
may have more transportation options. 24 benefits. Electric school buses eliminate tailpipe
emissions, meaning that schools utilizing these
buses will have students breathing cleaner air.
Electric school buses save an estimated $2,000
BRIGHT SPOTS
in fuel costs and $4,400 in maintenance costs
In Maryland, Montgomery County annually. 29 Over the lifetime of the bus, an electric
Public Schools (MCPS) recently school bus is projected to save a district $170,000
announced a plan to transition its entire bus in maintenance and fuel costs.
fleet* to electric through a partnership with Though the upfront costs are currently higher than
Highland Electric Transportation. 30 Highland diesel buses, grants, public-private partnerships,
Electric will lease the buses to MCPS and take and other financing mechanisms are substantially
care of maintenance and operations for the reducing costs for districts. Importantly,
same price the district would typically pay to transitioning to electric buses also requires building
purchase and maintain a diesel bus, reducing the the needed charging infrastructure and supporting
challenge of higher upfront costs.
workforce training to help maintain and operate
electric buses. Policymakers can also help ensure
that diesel buses are decommissioned to prevent
them from further contributing to pollution and
BRIGHT SPOTS
emissions in another community.
Stockton Unified School District In addition to electric school buses, communities
(SUSD) has also partnered with can also take other steps to reduce transportation
private companies to transition to electric emissions associated with students’ commutes
school buses through grants from the California to school. City-led efforts to increase safe
Air Resources Board, the California Energy routes to school for walking and biking can
Commission, and rebates from the local utility support alternative, emission-free methods of
company.31 Less than a year after submitting transportation. Many students also take public
the first grant proposal, the district has built transportation to school, and city efforts to electrify
charging stations and acquired its first set of public transit can reduce emissions from students’
commutes to school.
electric buses. Supporting more districts in
making plans, accessing funding, and building
needed charging infrastructure can help schools
transition their school bus fleet to electric.
*The transition will occur in phases, beginning with 25 buses in fall 2021, with a goal of completing the transition of all 1,422 buses by 2035.
School Food
Schools are critical food providers, serving over 7
billion meals annually.32 The process of purchasing,
using, and disposing of food contributes to schools’
environmental footprints. Sourcing food that is BRIGHT SPOTS
grown locally and sustainably is better for the In California, Oakland Unified
environment and local economies. Working with local
School District has a sustainability
food vendors can also help schools incorporate more
manager who focuses on reducing food waste,
fresh produce, which is important for child nutrition.
Schools and districts with kitchen equipment that creating a Food Share program at every school
supports cooking from scratch — rather than solely and increasing compost programs.42 San Diego
refrigerating and heating pre-packaged food — can Unified School District’s Love Food Not Waste
more easily serve meals that use fresh local produce. program takes food that has been prepared but
Currently, 34 states and DC have at least one policy not taken by students and makes it available
— for instance incentives for local procurement or for local hunger relief organizations.43 Between
farm-to-school programs — to encourage the use
2016-2019, the program rescued 530,900
of local-sourced food in schools.33 School gardens,
pounds of food from schools and eliminated
supported by 18 states, coupled with food education
have helped students understand the benefits of 275,200 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.44
healthy eating, and research has found that students
in schools with school gardens and garden education
eat more fruits and vegetables.34 With 88% of school
breakfasts and 77% of school lunches served to
low-income students, serving more sustainable and
nutritious food in schools can also help improve
health for these students.35
Schools also contribute to the country’s challenges
with food waste. Schools produce an estimated
530,000 tons of food waste annually.36 As food sits
in landfills, it emits methane, a potent greenhouse
gas that contributes to climate change. Food waste
in schools has a financial cost as well – an estimated
$1.24 billion each year.37 Importantly, research
suggests that healthier school food does not impact
food waste.38 Efforts to reduce food waste can
consider how to divert or repurpose the waste.
Schools can reduce food waste by diverting
surplus food through share tables or food donation
programs. Currently, 14 states have policies or
programs that allow or encourage these efforts.39
Food that is not suitable to be donated can be
composted instead of thrown away. Currently,
five states and DC have composting policies, and
two states allow or encourage composting as part
of school garden or recycling programs. Schools
have also been working to add kitchen dishwashing
capability to reduce an over-reliance on single use
plastic with school meals.40
Ensuring schools and policymakers consider the
full process of food in schools (procurement, menu,
and waste) can help schools mitigate their impact.
Schools have also been working to add dishwashing
capability to reduce an over-reliance on single use
plastic with school meals.41
Water Use, Other
Consumption, and Waste
Water, paper, and other resources are essential
to meet the needs of students and staff, but can
also contribute to high levels of unnecessary
waste. Using water efficiently is better for the
environment and can save schools money.44
Conserving water is particularly important as
climate change increases the length and severity of
droughts in many parts of the country.46 Reducing
water use also saves energy which reduces
greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to conserve
water in schools can include using water-efficient
appliances and irrigation systems, repairing leaks,
and managing water runoff.47
Materials that are thrown away end up in landfills,
which are the third-largest source of human-
related methane emissions in the country. 48
Schools can work to lower the amount of waste
they produce by minimizing the use of single-
use plastics and other materials, implementing
effective recycling programs*, and using supplies
made from recycled products, among other
efforts. 49 As discussed above, schools can also
work to limit food-related waste by using and
composting sustainable food packaging.
Whether reducing water use or increasing recycling
programs, creating a culture of conservation
among students, teachers, and other school
staff is crucial to success. Educators can also
incorporate resource conservation into their
lessons through hands-on activities and school-
wide sustainability practices such as rainwater
harvesting and upcycling.
*Some materials, such as paper and aluminum, are easier to recycle

than others. According to EPA data, less than 9% of plastics were
recycled in 2018.

District Efforts to Move Schools
Toward Sustainability & Clean Energy
Over the last few years, school districts across the
country have been developing sustainability plans
and committing to use clean energy. Students are
often key leaders in these efforts, working with WHAT WE’VE HEARD
communities and school board members to push
As we heard from Salt Lake City
for climate action in schools.
students Mahider Tadesse and
The School District of Philadelphia launched its
Andie Madsen, intergenerational
GreenFutures five-year sustainability plan in 2016
collaboration was critical to passing the
with a goal of improving sustainability education
resolution and students are actively involved
and operations in every school.50 GreenFutures
in implementation plans. Since the resolution
spans five areas of sustainability, from consumption
and waste to school greenscapes, with targets passed unanimously in June 2020, Andie shared
and specific actions for each area. The plan also that she has already seen similar student-led
emphasizes community engagement, equity, and efforts begin in other districts in Utah:
educational opportunities. “One of our selling points for the campaign was that
In response to collaborative campaigns from this is a nationwide movement that’s happening,
students, parents, and climate-focused organizers, but already the effects of our climate leadership in
a growing number of school boards have passed Salt Lake City are being realized in parts of Utah,
clean energy resolutions, including: which is a fossil-fuel heavy state.”
• In July 2015, San Diego Unified School District
passed a resolution calling for an action plan to
help the district transition to 100% clean energy
by 2035 and pursue other sustainability goals.
Many districts around the country have already
• In December 2019, Los Angeles Unified worked to prioritize sustainability and take
School District passed a resolution
climate action. Building on these existing
committing to transition to 100% clean,
renewable electricity by 2030 and to electrify efforts, supporting their implementation,
buildings and buses by 2040. and sharing their success can help create
• In June 2020, Salt Lake City School District momentum to reduce the environmental
passed a resolution committing to 100% clean footprint of the education sector. Policymakers,
energy for electricity by 2030 and 100% carbon educators, parents, caregivers, and students
neutral energy for all operations by 2040.
can mitigate climate change in schools
• In February 2021, Seattle Public Schools
by collaborating across generations and
passed a resolution committing to 100% clean
and renewable energy by 2040 or earlier. emphasizing how taking climate action now can
create a healthier and more stable future for
• In April 2021, Miami-Dade County Public
Schools passed a resolution to transition the today’s students.
district to 100% clean energy by 2030.

ADAPTATION
& RESILIENCE
The COVD-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for the public education system to
become significantly more resilient in the face of disruption. The pandemic has also
exacerbated underlying inequities for students of color and low-income students.
Likewise, the impacts of climate change — from floods to heat waves to wildfires
— are already disrupting schools across the country and similarly exacerbating
inequities. Schools must proactively adapt to these worsening climate impacts,
anticipate likely climate risks related to health and learning, and support students
as the impacts of climate change worsen.
Climate change is leading to an increase in the

frequency and severity of extreme weather.1
Hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, and high heat have
impacted schools and communities around the
country — a trend that is predicted to continue.
In their wake, these extreme weather events
bring trauma, uncertainty, and destruction to
communities, families, and schools.
The worsening effects of climate change will take
a toll on students’ mental and physical health, as
well as their opportunity to learn. The community-
wide trauma experienced in the wake of extreme
weather events impacts children and youth as
they experience and witness loss, damage, and
dislocation. 2 Air pollution and poor air quality
contributes to the development of asthma.3 Heat
impairs student learning, with a disproportionate
effect on Black and Latino students, and heat waves
have increasingly pushed schools without sufficient
infrastructure to close for “heat days.” 4
Yet, considering the opportunity for schools
to adapt and be better prepared for the worst
impacts of climate change can also help them build
resilience and serve as community hubs of climate
resilience. By leveraging schools as foundational
pillars in every community and equipping them
with sustainable infrastructure, clean energy,
and essential services, schools can retain critical
functions in the event of severe weather and provide
Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action. shelter and support to community members.
Impact of Climate Change on Health and Learning
One of the most widespread impacts of climate and activities. School closures due to heat
change is rising heat and an increasing number disproportionately affect students in low-income
of hot days each year. By the middle of the 21st communities who are more likely to attend schools
century, most areas in the United States are with outdated facilities.16 As high heat becomes
predicted to experience 20 to 30 more days per year more common in parts of the country that are
with temperatures 90°F and higher.5 Significant normally cooler, some schools will need to add air
portions of the country will also experience many conditioning for student health and wellbeing. As
more days above 100°F each year, with much of the schools install air conditioning systems they should
south predicted to have more than 50 per year by consider strategies including energy-efficient
the end of the century.6 heat pumps, clean electricity, and geothermal
Increasing heat waves and poorer air quality can heating and cooling to ensure the installation of air
be especially dangerous for children’s health due to conditioning does not increase emissions.
their ongoing physical and behavioral development.7 There are a variety of strategies schools can consider
Specifically, climate change can result in increased to reduce the worsening impacts of climate change
prevalence of asthma and allergies. Asthma already on students’ opportunity to learn. For instance,
affects over 5 million children and youth under age addressing indoor air quality in school buildings,
18, with Black children being twice as likely as white building green roofs and sustainable schoolyards,
children to have asthma.8 Students with asthma and ensuring access to healthy food and clean water
experience higher rates of absenteeism, which can help support children’s health and wellbeing.17
impacts their learning.9 Children are also particularly
susceptible to heat-related illnesses, especially if they
have chronic health conditions such as asthma or
diabetes.10 Heat, droughts, snowmelt, and sea rise will WHAT WE’VE HEARD
impact the availability of safe and healthy food and
water which in turn can impact brain development.11 Eco-Anxiety. Even without directly
Indigenous children and communities often face experiencing the worst climate
particularly high health risks related to the impacts of impacts, as students witness and learn about
climate change on water quality, air quality, and food climate impacts, they may develop eco-anxiety
access, in both urban and rural settings. — persistent worries about their own futures
Rising temperatures due to climate change are also and the prospects for future generations.18 In
increasing the number of students who attend school our first listening session, Dr. Aaron Bernstein
in heat islands.* In 2019, the Trust for Public Land of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE shared that strong
found that 36% of the country’s 50 million public relationships with supportive adults in school can
school students attended school on a heat island.13 be a protective factor for eco-anxiety. Schools can
Between 2013 and 2019, there was a 32% increase in also take an active role in reducing eco-anxiety by
the number of students attending schools that were helping students learn how they can take climate
10°F hotter than surrounding areas, and low-income
action and develop agency to contribute to
students are more likely to attend schools in heat
climate solutions.
islands than non-low-income students.
Research shows that heat has detrimental effects
on student learning, which schools need to
consider as they adapt to climate change.14 In the
last several years, schools across the country have
already had to close or adjust their schedules in
response to extreme heat and buildings without
air conditioning.15 This leads to lost learning time
and reduced access to school-based supports
*Heat islands have an average temperature 1.25°F higher than the
surrounding city or town. Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

Extreme Weather
Extreme weather events are already impacting
students, communities, and schools across the
country and will only increase with climate change.
In California, the Camp Fire caused thousands
of students to lose their homes and damaged or
destroyed more than a dozen schools, which were
then closed and relocated to shopping centers,
warehouses, and other vacant facilities.19 In Puerto
Rico, damage from Hurricane Maria caused
students to miss an average of 78 school days and
over 200,000 Puerto Ricans relocated in the wake
of the storm, with states like Florida receiving an
influx of newly arrived students. 20 As these events
continue to occur, schools will need to develop
plans to ensure supports for students and families.
EXTREME WEATHER AND

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH
Many students experience trauma in the wake
of severe weather events. Hurricanes, floods,
wildfires, and other extreme weather often cause
fatalities, homelessness, and food insecurity,
among other challenges. These experiences
can cause trauma responses and mental health
issues for children and youth. 21 In the past year,
the pandemic, resulting economic recession, and
ongoing systemic racism have also taken a toll on
students’ mental health, particularly for students of
color and low-income students whose communities
are also disproportionately impacted by climate
change. 22 Addressing students’ mental health needs
can help schools adapt to climate change and foster WHAT WE’VE HEARD
students’ resilience. At our listening session on
Schools can support students’ mental health adaptation, we heard from Dr.
before, during, and after extreme weather events Victor Carrion who has worked extensively
by increasing their capacity to provide these with children, youth, and school counselors
services and social emotional support. 23 Most after hurricanes in Puerto Rico and wildfires
schools already have a shortage of mental health in California. He spoke about the importance
staff and educators receive little if any training
of giving students “the opportunity to build
on supporting students’ mental health needs. 24
resilience.” He noted, we can support students
Schools that plan ahead by creating partnerships
by “strengthening their support system, the
with nearby districts, providing tiered supports,
strengthening of their families, [and] the
and training educators and school staff on trauma-
resources that we provide educators… We also
informed practices and eco-anxiety, can be better
need to increase the coping tools that kids may
prepared when extreme weather strikes. 25 Building
capacity to support students’ mental health now have themselves.”
can also help students recover from the pandemic
and develop resilience and coping skills.
EXTREME WEATHER AND
CONTINUED ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Extreme weather often causes schools to close due In order to be effective, policies that support virtual
to power outages, flooding, or other infrastructure learning must go hand-in-hand with improving access
challenges. This can lead to lost learning days and to the internet and digital devices. Gaps in access
access to school-based student supports. to devices and the Internet are a challenge in both
Allowing schools to use virtual learning when rural and urban areas. 28 Expanding internet and
students are unable to be in the building can digital device access is critical to advancing equity
minimize disruptions to student learning. States and ensuring that all students can continue their
require a minimum number of instructional learning academic learning and support services even when
days or hours each year and utilizing virtual learning schools are closed. Providing training and support for
when schools are closed can help schools avoid educators and families on how to use digital devices
falling below that minimum threshold. While virtual and online platforms can ensure all students are able
learning has been widespread during the pandemic, to benefit from increased digital access.29
few states have policies that specifically allow
virtual learning in the event of inclement weather. As
of October 2020, 13 states had policies that address
virtual learning or nontraditional instruction days.26
The COVID-19 pandemic and widespread virtual
learning have highlighted the disparities in access
to the internet and digital devices, both of which
are necessary to reduce learning disruptions. In
fact, prior to the pandemic an estimated 15 million
students lacked adequate internet access and an
estimated 10 million lacked access to a digital device
for virtual learning.27 While pandemic-related efforts
have substantially reduced these numbers, the
majority of those efforts are not long-term solutions
and will expire within one to three years.

EXTREME WEATHER
AND ENROLLMENT CHANGES
Climate migration can impact school enrollment.30
When extreme weather events such as hurricanes
cause widespread devastation, large numbers
of families may move to different areas where WHAT WE’VE HEARD
they have family support or other opportunities Miami-Dade County Public Schools
to regain stability in the face of loss. As families Superintendent Alberto Carvalho
migrate within the U.S. and arrive from abroad, shared with us how extreme weather events such
schools and districts may see upticks in enrollment as Hurricane Maria led to mid-year influx of new
in the middle of the year. 31 At the same time, areas students. Superintendent Carvalho spoke about
affected by sea level rise or other climate impacts the district’s plans to serve incoming students in
may see drops in enrollment. 32 three different scenarios, depending on the rate
Many students whose families relocate due to of new student arrivals — accepting students at
climate impacts may have experienced trauma and all schools, setting up one to three registration
loss, making both academic, social emotional, and centers, or establishing new full-service schools
mental health support especially important for to serve newly-arrived students. Each plan is
incoming students. Districts that plan ahead for designed to meet students’ academic, physical
how to deal with climate-related enrollment changes health, mental health, and social emotional needs.
may be better able to serve students and families. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the district
Assessing districts’ likely climate risks, and building also expedited the process for hiring newly-arrived
relationships with nearby districts can help better teachers from Puerto Rico.
prepare communities for potential climate impacts.
“To us, both sides of the coin are important.
Academic preparation, but side by side with social
emotional support and mental health support,
considering the trauma that these children arrived
with after living through a hurricane disruption or
an earthquake in Haiti.”

The Role of Schools in
Community Resilience
Schools have an opportunity to be centers of
community resilience and support in the face of
climate impacts. Schools are already community
hubs, with many schools providing access to food,
healthcare, and social services to students, families,
and other community members, which has become
even more crucial during the pandemic. In the case of
widespread power outages, infrastructure damage,
and other community challenges, schools have the
ability to provide critical resources such as food,
shelter, electricity, and healthcare. In particular,
schools that use renewable energy such as solar
panels coupled with battery storage — also known as
solar microgrids — can maintain these functions even
if other buildings in the area have lost power. Many
schools serve as emergency shelters, and creating
solar microgrids on these schools can improve
resilience, as seen in several schools in Florida.33
BRIGHT SPOTS WHAT WE’VE HEARD
In Santa Barbara Unified School Laura Capps, a school board member

District, the district is intentionally in Santa Barbara Unified School
preparing schools to serve as community hubs in District, highlighted the importance of schools as
the event of power outages and extreme weather. hubs of community resilience in emergencies:
In 2018, Santa Barbara experienced a mudslide
“When everything else is shut down from these
after a wildfire, shutting down the city for two and
extreme climate events, we need our schools
a half weeks and preventing students from getting
to have the lights on. We need those kitchens
to school. That experience motivated the
to keep working, so that we can continue to
community and district leaders to transform
feed kids and families… In fact, our office of
school buildings into solar microgrids that can
emergency of our county did their briefings every
use solar energy to maintain core functions in the
day from one of our high school auditoriums.”
event of power outages.34

The Role of Schools in
Community Adaptation
School grounds make up an estimated 2 million acres Access to green space — outdoor environments
of land across the country, making land use another with trees or other native plants — is beneficial for
opportunity for improving sustainability and helping reducing heat, reducing air pollution, and improving
communities adapt.35 Leveraging school grounds in physical and mental health for communities, but
adaptation planning can help reduce community heat access to these spaces is currently inequitable.37 On
and flooding and increase access to green space. average, parks that serve people of color are half as
large and five times as crowded as those that serve
Currently, many outdoor spaces at schools include
majority-white populations. Parks that serve low-
large swaths of heat-trapping asphalt, which can income households are four times smaller than those
contribute to flooding and higher temperatures that serve predominantly high-income households.38
within neighborhoods. Often the localized effects
Redesigning school grounds to replace asphalt with
at schools themselves can be even more extreme,
green sustainable schoolyards can support student
making it dangerous for children to play outside in
wellbeing and make green spaces more accessible
hot weather. On a 63°F day, students at one school in to communities.39 These schoolyards can also help
Oakland, CA measured surface temperatures as high reduce stormwater runoff and community flooding.40
as 115°F on the unshaded playground.36
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
In Chicago, a partnership between

schools, local water authorities, a
community-based organization, and the mayor’s
office is creating green schoolyards that support
student health and resilience to climate change.
As we heard from Healthy School Campaign’s
Kenneth Varner, “As our climate is changing, it’s
important to think of schools as multipurpose
use buildings. Our schoolyards are designed to
hold 150,000 gallons of water per rainstorm,”
which is increasingly important as flooding
becomes more common.
While the impacts of climate change present many challenges to students, families, and
communities, schools have the opportunity to be part of climate solutions, build resilience, and help
communities adapt. Schools that consider the potential impacts on their community, plan ahead for
those impacts, and leverage partnerships can be better prepared for potential disruptions and help
advance a more resilient society.

EDUCATION
Education has a critical role to play in addressing climate change. An understanding
of climate change and sustainability will be essential for future citizens, workers,
and leaders, making the education sector key to building a more sustainable and
resilient society. In fact, education has been identified as an underutilized social
tipping point needed for decarbonization — the process of phasing out reliance
on carbon across all parts of the economy.1
Climate change will affect every part of our society, from healthcare to agriculture to business, and ensuring
students are prepared to live and succeed in a changing climate is becoming increasingly important.
Schools, communities, Tribes, and out-of-school programs are already helping students develop the
knowledge and skills they will need to live fulfilling lives and be active citizens. Integrating teaching and
learning about climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability across disciplines and educational
settings will help students understand the impact of climate change and what they can do to reduce their
impact on the environment, build resilience, and enhance their own prospects in a clean energy future.
Public Support for Climate Change Education

Students, parents, caregivers, and teachers officials.9 In 2021, 32% of adults in Generation Z
have already expressed high levels of support for reported personally taking action to address climate
climate education. In 2019, 68% of parents and 74% change in the past year.10 Like Maya Green, students
of teachers thought that climate change and its around the country are asking schools to address
effects on the environment and society should be climate change so they can better understand and
taught in schools.2 Additionally, 78% of all adults solve the problems they see in their communities.* 11
believe that schools should teach about the causes,
consequences, and potential solutions to global
warming.3 Despite strong support for teaching climate
change, only 42% of teachers reported teaching
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
climate change in their classes.4
While 57% of teens report that climate change At our first listening session, student
makes them feel afraid, 54% said it makes them feel activist Maya Green spoke about
motivated to take action.5 Learning about climate witnessing climate change while growing up in
solutions and how to take climate action can help Charleston, South Carolina. She shared, “With
students combat eco-anxiety — persistent worries increasing frequency over my lifetime, I’ve noticed
about their own futures and the prospects for future
the hurricane evacuations that come year after
generations.6 Yet, 54% of teens say they have learned
little or nothing about how to reduce the effects of year… I’ve lived the worsening climate crisis. That
climate change in school.7 definitely influenced my passion for taking climate
action, but the school system has not really
Youth are already leading movements for climate
action and climate justice.8 In 2019, nearly 1 in 4 provided much of a space for that.”
teenagers in the U.S. reported voicing their opinions
on climate change in the prior three years through
school walk-outs, protests, or writing to government
*See Alliance for Climate Education, Climate Generation, and Schools for Climate Action for more examples of students seeking climate education in schools.

Connections
to Local Communities
Climate change and sustainability education can
happen in classrooms, through school-wide efforts,
in afterschool and extended learning programs, in
community-based programs, museums, science
centers, media and more. Whether school- or
community-based, each educational setting
has unique opportunities to engage students by
helping them make connections between their
own experiences and academic content.
The impacts of climate change differ based on
geography, meaning that communities across the
country experience climate change in different
ways — from droughts in California to sea level rise
in Florida to flooding in Minnesota. Climate change
education creates opportunities for teaching and
learning about the relationship between human
activity, local communities, and their environments.
Grounding climate education in students’ lived
experiences can also increase student engagement
and recognize the connection to culture and values.12
For instance, Indigenous communities have been
teaching youth about the environment while
seamlessly making connections between disciplines,
culture, and language for generations. By reframing
humans’ relationships with nature to emphasize that
humans are part of the natural world, Indigenous
communities prepare youth to be responsible
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
stewards of the land and make decisions that
protect nature and their communities. All students At our listening session on
deserve to learn about our relationship to our adaptation, we heard from science
environment, the impact our decisions and actions educator Michealrose Ravalier who teaches
have on our environment, and how we can be better about climate change and climate resilience
environmental stewards. at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School in the U.S.
Grounding education about climate change Virgin Islands. Michaelrose shared: “Student
and sustainability in a local context can include engagement is critical and is at the base of
connections and exposure to local job opportunities. addressing not just climate action and climate
Whether it’s increasing exposure and training justice issues, but also allows students to take
to careers in off-shore wind in Massachusetts ownership of their responsibility in being good
or building awareness of careers in sustainable environmental stewards. And in doing so, it helps
agriculture in Colorado, partnering with local them to become emotionally stable, emotionally
employers and community colleges can help balanced, and emotionally resilient.”
students be better prepared for the jobs within
their community that will be needed to address
climate change and better prepare them for the
opportunities in the future.

K-12 Education
Schools provide critical opportunities for students
to learn about climate change and sustainability
across subjects and through a variety of engaging
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
and relevant pedagogies. Climate change and
sustainability can be incorporated into state We heard from Melissa Lau, a middle
standards, curriculum, and educator support. school science teacher in Oklahoma,
about how including climate change in classes other
INTERDISCIPLINARY LEARNING
than science can help teachers as well as students.
In school and across the curriculum, students Melissa shared that because climate change is “such a
can learn about the causes and effects of climate big, broad topic and there [are] so many components
change and how to take climate action. Climate to it,” only teaching about climate change in science
change education is frequently associated with classes puts additional pressure on science teachers.
science, but understanding the impacts of climate
With more social studies teachers including climate
change and learning about climate solutions
change and climate solutions in their classes, Melissa
extends across disciplines. Subjects ranging from
said “having those cross-curricular connections is an
biology to civics to English can help students
amazing support.”
understand climate change, examine what can
be done to advance solutions, and process their
experiences of climate impacts.
Incorporating climate change into teaching
and learning can happen through a number
of mechanisms. State standards, curriculum
decisions and materials, and educator support
can all help teachers and students access
education on climate change, sustainability,
and the environment across subject areas.

STANDARDS
One opportunity to increase access to climate change Council’s (NRC) 2012 research-based Framework for
education is to include climate change and human K–12 Science Education and which include language
impacts on the environment in state standards about human-caused climate change.15 Fifteen states’
across subjects. State standards set expectations science standards include climate change but do not
for what students should know and be able to do in specify that it is predominantly caused by humans.16
each subject at each grade level. States have internal Many of these states’ standards are also informed
processes for establishing and revising their own by the NRC’s framework, but often their standards
standards. Having state standards on a given topic addressing climate change have been modified to
does not mean that information is necessarily taught remove or deemphasize the role of human actions on
to all students or that all students will have the same climate change. States that do include climate change
depth of knowledge about that topic, but it establishes in their science standards do not necessarily reference
a goal to be applied across the state. climate change in other subject standards.
Currently, New Jersey is the only state with climate Social studies provides a critical opportunity for
change in K-12 standards across most subjects.13 This students to learn about climate change and how they
means that whether in science, social studies, health, can contribute to solutions, including through civic
or art students will have the opportunity to learn engagement. Social studies classes help students
about the ways climate change impacts us and our learn how individuals and societies interact with the
environment and explore climate solutions. environment and the ways individuals, businesses,
As of fall 2020, twenty-nine states and DC have and governments make decisions. Students are
state science standards that include human-caused already making connections between climate
climate change in at least one required science class.14 change and civics outside of school by taking part in
Of these, 20 states and DC have adopted the Next demonstrations and contacting government officials.
Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as part of their Yet, only 17 states’ social studies standards explicitly
state science standards. NGSS are a set of standards mention climate change*, and only 18 mention
developed by states based on the National Research environmental sustainability.^ 17
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
At our first listening session, we heard

from New Jersey First Lady Tammy
Murphy about the process of working with educators
to create standards that include climate change in
every grade level and every subject area. The First
Lady highlighted the urgency and relevance of climate
change education, stating:
“We are handing [students] a real problem that

has perhaps already affected their health and will
certainly continue to affect every aspect of their lives.
If we don’t educate them and give them the tools they
need to understand the dangers of climate change
and how to combat it, no matter what career they
pursue, then I believe we are borderline negligent.”
* Five states require and 12 states allow teaching climate change in social studies classes.
^ Sixteen states require and two states allow teaching about sustainability in social studies classes.

TERMINOLOGY
• Standards: Statements that define what students should know and be able to do by the
end of a certain subject in a specific grade. Standards for public schools are generally set
at the state level.
• Curriculum: Lesson plans and other resources for teachers that detail how course content
should be taught. Curricula are generally created or selected to align with relevant standards
in a subject and grade level. Curriculum decisions are often made at the district or school level.
CURRICULUM
There are many opportunities to include climate Climate change and sustainability education provide
change and sustainability in curricula and make opportunities for deeper learning, where students
connections to existing school and community develop skills such as critical thinking, collaboration,
resources. While standards outline a state’s and communication that help them succeed in
expectations for what should be taught, curriculum school and after graduation.19 Curricula that take
determines how content is taught and often includes student-centered or inquiry-based approaches
textbooks, materials, lesson plans or other resources
to teaching and learning also improve student
for teachers that are aligned to the state standards.
achievement and engagement by helping students
Curriculum decisions are generally made at the local
learn about relevant real-world problems and
level, meaning curricula and class offerings can differ
brainstorm solutions.20
by district and school. States can also support the
development of curricula. Approaches such as place-based education and
project-based learning allow students to investigate
the environmental issues that matter to them and
affect their communities.21 Focusing on local issues
BRIGHT SPOTS and allowing student inquiry to drive learning can
help students make connections to their cultures
In Seattle, the Learning in Places
and lived experiences.22 Outdoor learning in school
project is working with students,
grounds, local parks, and community gardens in
educators, and families to co-design culturally
urban, rural, and suburban areas also provides
relevant science curriculum for grades K-3. 23
opportunities for students to safely learn about the
The program uses school gardens and
climate and environment in their own communities.
community green spaces to help students learn
Implementing other school-wide sustainability
about ecological reasoning and decision-making.
practices — from composting to energy
conservation — creates opportunities for hands-
on learning.24 Schools that use solar energy or
other elements of sustainable building design and
BRIGHT SPOTS operation can themselves be used as pedagogical
tools. For instance, students in Stockton Unified
California recently provided
School District learn about clean energy and energy
funding to San Mateo County
conservation by using the district’s solar dashboards
to develop open access climate change and
and participating in the student energy patrol
environmental justice curricula for all grades
program.25 School gardens, like those in Oakland
that align with the state’s environmental Unified School District, help students learn about the
principles and concepts.18 The curriculum benefits of local, sustainable food and understand
materials will be made freely available to all how the local environment impacts food access.26
districts in California and around the country. Schools can also incorporate rain gardens which can
help students learn about stormwater management
and climate adaptation.
EDUCATOR SUPPORT
Building on standards and curricula, educators are
essential in ensuring students have the opportunity
to engage and learn about climate change. Most
educators believe climate change should be taught BRIGHT SPOTS
in schools, but many do not feel they have enough The ClimeTime network in
preparation or resources to do so. According to
Washington is one successful
an NPR poll, 74% of teachers believe that climate
example of a state-funded professional
change and its impacts on society should be taught
in schools, yet 55% did not teach about climate development (PD) program where educators
change or discuss it with students.27 have the opportunity to develop the knowledge,
skills, awareness, and tools to teach climate
Providing pre-service training for teachers can
help incoming educators feel prepared to talk and science in the classroom. 28 The network
teach about climate change and sustainability in provides funding to all districts in the state as
their classrooms. For teachers who are already in well as several community-based organizations
the profession, high-quality in-service professional and Tribes to create PD programs that align
development can help both new and veteran with state standards and address topics
teachers incorporate climate change, climate including environmental justice, culturally
solutions, and sustainability into their classrooms. relevant teaching, and place-based education.
Learning from other educators and sharing best
practices can help educators better engage
students in cross-curricular deeper learning.

Career and
Technical Education
Career and Technical Education (CTE) presents
an opportunity to prepare students for high-
skill, high-wage jobs in the clean economy. CTE
within schools prepares students to enter the
workforce or pursue post-secondary education
or training after high school. CTE programs also
provide career exposure, hands-on training, and
opportunities for work-based learning.29 Some CTE
programs enable students to graduate from high
school with industry-recognized certifications or
college-level credits. During the 2018-19 school
year, over 8.9 million high school students took at
least one CTE course. 30
CTE programs span 16 different career clusters,
ranging from Agriculture, Food, and Natural
Resources to Hospitality and Tourism, and there
are opportunities to incorporate sustainability
across all clusters.31 Jobs in clean energy industries,
such as wind turbine technicians and solar panel
installers, are some of the fastest growing in the
country and can play an important role in the
country’s economic recovery from the pandemic.32
In fact, a report from Pew Research Center found
both mechanical and analytical skills are in high
demand in emerging occupations related to the National Career Clusters Framework:36
clean economy.33 Currently, twenty-nine states have
• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources
CTE programs or classes with an explicit focus on
• Architecture & Construction
sustainability or clean energy.34
• Arts, A/V Technology & Communications
Climate change will impact every facet of our • Business Management & Administration
society, and as a result all industries will need a
• Education & Training
better understanding of their role in mitigating
• Finance
climate change and advancing a more sustainable
• Government & Public Administration
society. 35 Students who are prepared to think
about sustainability and climate solutions in • Health Science
whatever career path they choose will be better • Hospitality & Tourism
positioned for high-skill, high-wage jobs in the • Human Services
future and can help industries better address • Information Technology
climate change. • Law, Public Safety, Corrections &
Security
• Manufacturing
• Marketing
• Science, Technology,
Engineering & Mathematics
• Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Note: Career clusters can differ by state and district.

This national framework was developed by Advance CTE.
PARTNERSHIPS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
CTE often includes work-based learning and
increasingly provides pathways to higher education.
Developing partnerships with leaders in industries
such as solar panel installation or electric vehicle
engineering can help ensure students are
qualified to get high-skill, high-wage jobs in high-
demand industries after graduation. Additionally,
partnerships with community colleges are essential
to help students transition into higher education
and training programs or graduate high school with
recognized post-secondary credentials. On our
listening tour we had the opportunity to learn about BRIGHT SPOTS
examples of these successful partnerships from
• P-TECH schools provide an
New York to rural Colorado. example of collaborative work with
business leaders, community colleges, and
community-based organizations to provide
CTE AND A JUST TRANSITION workforce development and career opportunities
for low-income students of color.41 The P-TECH
Transitioning to a clean economy will create many model lets students both explore careers related
new jobs — an estimated 18 million jobs globally.37 to sustainability and climate change and learn
Communities that rely on industries such as coal the technical skills needed to qualify for jobs
will need support to prepare for new, clean energy in sectors such as automotive engineering and
jobs. Ensuring that schools in these areas have construction. Students at P-TECH schools
green CTE programs can help today’s youth benefit graduate with both a high school diploma and
from the transitioning economy and find successful an associate’s degree in six years and are first in
employment in growing industries. line for jobs with industry partners. In New York,
P-TECH recently announced a partnership with
A just transition must also include support for the New York Power Authority.42 The agency will
communities of color and Indigenous communities provide internships, mentoring, and pathways to
who are disproportionately harmed by the impacts of jobs for P-TECH students expanding pathways
climate change.38 Advancing equity and environmental for an inclusive workforce in clean energy.
justice means ensuring that those most impacted
• The Environmental Sciences and Climate
by climate change are able to benefit from climate Institute (ESCI), a new collaborative between
solutions and high-paying jobs in the growing several school districts and community colleges
green economy. Expanding green CTE programs in in rural southwest Colorado, is intentionally
these communities can help students of color and designed in close collaboration with community
Indigenous students benefit from climate solutions. college faculty and staff to ensure students
Opportunity youth — those between the ages of in climate change related fields can smoothly
16 through 24 who are not enrolled in school or transition into taking college-level courses.43
The initiative includes project-based learning
participating in the labor market — should also be part
and outdoor learning for students as well as
of a just transition to a clean economy. Sustainability-
professional development for educators.
focused CTE and workforce development programs
can help some of the country’s 4.6 million opportunity • Bright Solar Futures in Philadelphia works
youth gain the skills needed to obtain good jobs in with the local Philadelphia Energy Authority to
provide paid internships for students, giving
clean energy industries.39 Policymakers have also
them career exposure and compensating them
proposed establishing a Civilian Climate Corps to
for their work.44 The three-year CTE program also
create a national service program to provide climate
prepares students to graduate certified in solar
change mitigation and adaptation employment
panel installation.
opportunities for youth with a focus on communities
most affected by climate impacts.40
Out-of-School Education and Informal Learning
Informal learning and out-of-school programs While out-of-school programs can increase key
provide opportunities to engage children and learning opportunities, students must have
youth in learning about climate change and the access to these programs in order to benefit from
environment. Out-of-school settings — including them. Currently, there are barriers to accessing
afterschool programs, summer programs, and afterschool programs. Recent data from Afterschool
museum education — often have engaging Alliance found that parents report cost, availability,
opportunities for outdoor and experiential learning and safe routes to and from programs as key
and enable students to pursue their interests. challenges.48 Any investments in out-of-school
Museums, aquariums, and other sites of informal programs should center equity and work to ensure
learning in the community can be key partners that programs are available to students in under-
for schools in providing educational content and resourced communities and address the needs and
hands-on learning opportunities.45 Out-of-school strengths of youth and their families.
programs are also key spaces to develop youth
leadership and social emotional skills through
positive youth development.46
WHAT WE’VE HEARD
During a listening session, youth

activist Amara Ifeji spoke about
gaining access to outdoor learning through
out-of-school programs. Amara attended and
subsequently led a stormwater management
program in Maine that sparked her and other
BRIGHT SPOTS
students’ interest in taking environmental
science and STEM classes in school. She shared: The Pacific American Foundation
“This learning wasn’t only transformative because uses place-based and culturally
it allowed me to explore and assert my passion, it relevant out-of-school education to connect
also led me to commit to providing opportunities Hawaiian youth to their local environment.47
for other youth.” After students attended a For example, over the last 25 years, the Pacific
stormwater management program Amara American Foundation has restored a fish pond
facilitated, they all reported wanting to continue which has become a site for hands-on learning,
learning about environmental science both in or ma ka hana ka ‘ike (through doing one learns).
and out of school. Amara then established her Executive Director Herb Lee shared that this
own program in Maine to increase opportunities learning connects students to the land, their
for young women of color to have access to culture, and provides opportunities to learn
environmental education. about conservation. The organization has
also provided professional development for
educators around their “place-based, culture-
based, and project-based” curriculum. “Content
and context are inextricably intertwined in
Hawaii. Place has a lot to do with how we educate
our youth.”

Connections
to Early Learning and
Post-Secondary Education
Though this action plan is primarily focused on
K through 12 education, we acknowledge that
there are critical opportunities to include climate
change and sustainability education in early
childhood settings as well as post-secondary
education. Age-appropriate environmental
education — particularly through outdoor learning
and play-based learning — in early childhood can
help children develop social emotional skills and
environmental literacy.49 Once students complete
their K-12 education, they can continue pursuing
education and careers that address climate change
and sustainability. Collaborative work and planning
across early childhood, K–12, and post-secondary
education is needed to most effectively support
the education sector in addressing climate change
and preparing children and youth in advancing a
sustainable future.
Policymakers, educators, parents, caregivers,

and students all have the opportunity to
support climate change and sustainability
education in their communities. Whether
updating state standards, adopting place-
based education, expanding CTE programs, or
working with out-of-school program providers,
each community has a variety of options to take
climate actions that are in line with their local
needs and priorities.

ADVANCING
EQUITY
Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other communities
of color, low-income communities, people with disabilities, and under-resourced
urban and rural communities bear the greatest burdens from negative climate
impacts, from greater exposure to pollution to greater vulnerability to extreme
weather.1 Any climate actions or solutions must prioritize, elevate, and engage these
communities to advance equity and environmental justice. Given their experiences
with the impacts of climate change and environmental injustice, these communities
have crucial insight into climate solutions and must be at the helm of climate actions,
both in and out of schools.
Students, parents, caregivers, families, and
communities are the central stakeholders in
the education sector, and research shows their
involvement in schools improves students’ WHAT WE’VE HEARD
educational experiences and outcomes.2 Building During a listening session, youth
relationships with these stakeholder groups and activist Jerome Foster II emphasized
including their perspectives in decision-making the critical role that youth can play in advancing
processes is necessary for meaningful climate action. He shared that, increasingly, “young
community engagement. people are included in curriculum development,
Our country is just beginning the decarbonization of included in how we allocate funds to frontline
our economy and society required to address climate communities, and a plethora of other initiatives.”
change. We are at a critical moment where we can Jerome also spoke about how understanding civics
advance policies that help support an equitable can help youth take the lead on climate advocacy at
and just transition. Centering the experiences
the federal, state, and local level.
and perspectives of Black, Latino, Indigenous,
Asian American and Pacific Islander, and other
communities of color, low-income communities, and
under-resourced urban and rural communities in this
transition can help advance a more equitable future.
Advancing equity can be a focus by which
policymakers and education leaders guide climate
action in schools to help schools mitigate, adapt, and
educate to address climate change. To succeed in
advancing equity, we must acknowledge the existing
inequities in our schools and communities currently
affecting students’ ability to learn. Without equity-
focused efforts centering students and communities,
these existing inequities will only worsen as climate
change worsens. Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

Health Impacts,
Climate Change, and Equity
High heat — one of the most widespread climate Climate impacts including flooding and other
impacts — has disparate effects on communities extreme weather are also threatening water
of color. Due to a history of redlining,* communities quality, which in turn creates greater health risks.11
of color are more likely to live near heat islands, Communities of color and communities with high
which are areas that have an average temperature levels of non-English speakers are more likely to
that is higher than the surrounding city or town.3 have unsafe drinking water.12 Lead in particular is
Additionally, schools serving more low-income one of the most significant environmental hazards
students have heat island differentials twice as large for children. Yet, research has shown far too many
as those serving non-low-income students.4 schools have elevated levels of lead in their school
Communities of color and Indigenous communities water.13 Exposure to any level of lead can increase
face disproportionately higher rates of air the likelihood for health problems, brain damage,
pollution and other environmental hazards, as and disability in children.
well as associated health problems.5 In fact, Reducing schools’ environmental footprints and
recent research identified that despite being reducing greenhouse gas emissions in these
less responsible for pollution, Black and Latino communities are critical ways to promote equity.
Americans bear a larger share of the “pollution Improving indoor air quality in schools, adding water
burden.”6 Children of color and Indigenous children filtration systems, and reducing exposure to diesel
are disproportionately exposed to air pollution and emissions from school buses can promote student
have higher rates of childhood asthma.7 Asthma health, wellbeing, and opportunity to learn.14
rates are particularly high among Black children, a
rate of 13.5% compared to 6.4% for white children.8
Children and youth with asthma, diabetes, and
other chronic conditions are at greater risk of heat-
related illnesses.9 Increased exposure to heat and * Redlining refers to the federal government’s practice in the 1930s
pollution and increased prevalence of asthma impact of creating maps that labeled areas with large populations of Black
residents in red to discourage banks from providing mortgages
students’ ability to attend, learn, and succeed in to people in those areas. Redlining encouraged segregation and
school.10 economic inequality which still persists today.

Extreme Weather and Equity
Climate impacts such as hurricanes, wildfires, livelihoods are experiencing more severe flooding
and severe floods are a source of collective and droughts.18 This extreme weather damages crops
trauma, often causing students and families to and livestock, leaving communities with financial
experience homelessness, food insecurity, and insecurity. Additionally, research shows that disaster
loss.15 Communities of color and urban and rural aid after extreme weather events often widens
low-income communities often face the most existing racial wealth gaps.19
significant and longest-term damages from severe Though many supports are needed to advance
weather caused by climate change.16 For instance equity and address these disparities, ensuring
in Houston, low-income housing is more likely to be sufficient support in these communities for
located in low-lying flood prone areas, meaning these schools and providing school-based wrap-around
communities were hit hardest by Hurricane Harvey.17 services and student mental health support can
Rural communities that depend on the land for their help promote resilience.
School Infrastructure,
Resilience Hubs, and Equity
Utilizing schools as hubs of community resilience
can help communities adapt to a changing climate.
Yet, with the history of education funding based on
local property taxes, many low-income communities
with high populations of students of color have
outdated school facilities.20 Schools funded by
the federal Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) that
serve predominantly Indigenous students also
frequently have unsafe facilities.21 These outdated
facilities are less energy efficient, have worse indoor
air quality, may lack air conditioning, and are more
vulnerable to severe weather. As a result, schools
that have to pay more for annual maintenance
and operations face greater challenges securing
funding for capital improvements.22
Prioritizing low-income communities in school
infrastructure investments to build sustainable
school buildings and grounds not only helps
mitigate schools’ environmental footprints but
can also make schools and communities more
resilient to climate impacts. Schools that adopt
more resilient infrastructure — such as solar
microgrids which allow schools to retain key
functions when other buildings lose power —
can be critical resources for providing food,
Photos by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action. shelter, and other services during an emergency.23
Education and Equity WHAT WE’VE HEARD
To advance a more sustainable society and succeed Student Voice activist Leigh Walden
in the clean economy, today’s students will need is from rural Colorado and has seen
a better understanding of climate change, climate
climate impacts in her hometown. Leigh attends
solutions, and environmental sustainability. Yet,
a suburban school that teaches about climate
too often, students of color, low-income students,
change, but her friends who attend a rural school
students with disabilities, and rural students do
have not had that same opportunity.26
not have the same educational opportunities as
their peers. Schools with predominantly Black and “In my suburban school, I have classes like AP
Latino student populations are less likely to offer Environmental Science and Earth science available
advanced math and science courses than schools to me. In these courses, we learn about climate
with predominantly white students, and students change and discuss its implications. Meanwhile,
with disabilities are enrolled in higher-level math the school of my peers does not require or promote
and science courses at disproportionately low these courses, discouraging students from
rates.24 Students attending rural schools have learning about the resources needed for a safe and
lower Advanced Placement (AP) course access sustainable approach to agriculture.”
rates, particularly for STEM AP courses, than
students attending urban or suburban schools.25
Access to climate change and sustainability
education must be equitable and inclusive across
the curriculum and grade levels. This includes
an emphasis on accessibility for students with
disabilities, during both classroom and field-
based learning. In addition to equitable access,
sustainability and climate change education should
be culturally relevant and respect communities’
environmental knowledge and relationships with
the land. Schools and districts can work with
students, families, Tribes, and communities to
develop curricula that are culturally relevant and
engaging.27 Climate education can also integrate
local and national environmental justice issues
to provide students a better understanding of
inequities across communities.
To prepare for the clean economy, students need
access to green CTE programs that prepare them
for clean energy jobs or to integrate environmental
sustainability into any career pathway. Providing
access to green CTE programs in communities that
have been hardest-hit by climate change will enable
students to benefit in this transition. Additionally,
these programs can help opportunity youth build the
skills needed to obtain jobs in a clean economy.28

Indigenous Children,
Youth, and Communities
Indigenous peoples have a deep relationship with Federal involvement in educating Indigenous
the land, water, and other natural elements which are children and youth is grounded in a history of forced
integral to their cultures, knowledges, and livelihoods. removal from Indigenous lands, forced cultural
These relationships have been developed and taught assimilation through abusive boarding schools, and a
in Indigenous communities since time immemorial, lack of recognition of Tribal sovereignty. The legacy of
long before the American public school system was racism and violent erasure of Indigenous people has
established. Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) contributed to ongoing systemic disparities in public
shapes Indigenous youth identity and perceptions and Tribal education of Indigenous children and
of the world. IKS has contributed to Indigenous youth. Ownership and stewardship of Indigenous
communities leading on mitigating and responding to land has also been a source of contention between
climate change as well as management of lands and Tribal, federal, and state governments both
waters in which the majority of the world’s remaining historically and currently.
biodiversity is found.29 Tribal nations are sovereign entities, meaning
While science and social studies education in they govern themselves and their interactions
the U.S. includes human-environment interactions, with state or federal governments are considered
it is often narrowly focused and does not consider nation-to-nation relationships. There are 574
holistic understandings of these interactions. Rarely federally-recognized Tribal nations across 35 states.31
do these classes include Indigenous knowledge Additionally, some states have state-recognized
systems — a holistic, observational, and systematic Tribal nations that are not federally recognized and do
way of understanding the environment and its not necessarily receive the same federal funding.32
connection to culture and society. To address Indigenous children and youth around the country
climate change in schools, we need to be inclusive attend a variety of schools, including general K-12
of Indigenous knowledge systems. public schools, tribally-controlled schools that
receive federal funding, and schools operated by
the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). Roughly
90% of Indigenous students attend traditional
public schools, while around 8% attend schools
run by the BIE.33 In our policy recommendations,
we consider opportunities to support Indigenous
youth across educational settings, including the
unique needs related to BIE schools.
BRIGHT SPOTS
In Washington State, schools are
required to teach about Tribal
sovereignty, history, and culture through the
Since Time Immemorial curriculum or other
tribally-developed curricula.30 Since Time
Immemorial was designed in collaboration with
Tribes and includes lesson materials that are
aligned to state standards as well as training and
implementation support for educators.
BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION SCHOOLS
The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), a division
of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is tasked
with providing education to Indigenous children
and youth while respecting Tribal sovereignty and
cultural diversity as well as addressing the needs
of the whole student within the context of their
family and community. BIE serves roughly 46,000
students in 183 elementary and secondary schools
on 64 reservations across 23 states.34
A persistent challenge in providing quality
education to Indigenous students is ensuring that
BIE-funded schools have access to the same level
of high-quality instruction, support services, and
school facilities as general public schools. BIE
funds repairs, improvements, and construction
of school facilities, which are commonly in poor
condition and do not meet health and safety Safe learning environments are critical for all
standards. For instance, a 2016 federal report on students, including Indigenous students in BIE
the condition of BIE school facilities found that, of schools. As we detailed in the mitigation section
the 13 schools visited for the report, 12 had grounds of this report, updating school facilities to be
or drainage issues, 10 had asbestos or mold, and 5 safer and more sustainable can have health
were in condemned buildings.35 and learning benefits for students as well as
financial benefits by reducing the maintenance
and operating costs associated with crumbling
buildings. Decisions regarding supporting BIE
WHAT WE’VE HEARD schools must also be responsive to the needs,
strengths, and values of Indigenous students,
“It’s time for all schools to include
families, and communities.
Indigenous voices and methodologies
if they want to combat the climate crisis in
the classroom. We are beyond learning about
We have worked through this commission to
Indigenous people, it’s time to learn with them.”
center issues of equity while learning about
—
Owen L. Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo) what the education sector can do to mitigate,
From the people of the Lower Columbia River, Salish
Sea, and Southwest Pueblos
adapt, and educate to address climate change.
We have learned that, to center equity, local
plans for climate action in schools must be
developed with community input, based on
community needs and assets, and center the
voices of people who are impacted most. State
and federal policymakers will play a critical role
by prioritizing resources to the communities
most impacted and support to address the
historic educational inequities that may prevent
communities from ensuring healthy sustainable
learning environments for all children and youth.

RECOMMENDATIONS
For the education sector to effectively mitigate, adapt, educate, and advance equity
to address climate change, federal, state, and local policymakers will need to work
together to maximize opportunities for climate action. Business, philanthropy,
advocacy organizations, and the media can also play an important role as a catalyst
for action. We outline opportunities for each of these stakeholders to support
America’s nearly 100,000 public schools in becoming models for climate action and
America’s 50 million children and youth in these schools to succeed in the clean
economy and lead a more healthy, sustainable, adaptable, resilient, and equitable
society. Central to this work is the local development and implementation of K-12
climate action plans with support, resources, funding, policies, and leadership from
the state and federal level.
Opportunities at the Local Level

Although they must work within the framework of state and federal policy, local school districts have
significant authority and responsibility to determine how schools operate and support teaching
and learning. Local policies frequently come from school boards or school district leadership and
respond to community needs and challenges. Districts can be key leaders in supporting climate
action in schools. We recommend local leaders:
Recommendation 1: Acknowledge and

prioritize the opportunity for the education
sector to advance climate solutions. Local
school boards and superintendents can elevate
the opportunity for the education sector to
address climate change through local K-12 climate
action plans. Mayors and other local policymakers
can also partner with local school districts to
include schools in local climate mitigation and
resilience planning and strategies.
Recommendation 2: Develop and implement
comprehensive local K-12 climate action plans
to consider the needs and opportunities to
mitigate, adapt, educate, and advance equity
to address climate change. Considering these
issues comprehensively can help communities
leverage the greatest benefit by integrating
mitigation and adaptation efforts with teaching
and learning in schools. Photo by Allison Shelley for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action.

School districts should focus on assessing community needs and assets to support comprehensive
and localized community action. These climate action plans should be developed in collaboration with
students, families, educators, school leaders, facility managers, school board members, Tribal leaders
and Indigenous community members, community-based organizations, and out-of-school educators
and with input from business, early learning, and post-secondary programs. School districts can follow
models from other school districts, cities and towns and build on existing sustainability, emergency
management, and environmental education efforts. Specifically, these plans should:
2.1. Support mitigation strategies to transition to clean energy, clean transportation,

sustainable food use, and building electrification and to promote healthy learning
environments with improved air quality and safe drinking water that are free of
environmental toxins. 100% clean energy resolutions, sustainability directors, and existing
sustainability plans can be pivotal in shaping mitigation strategies for school districts.
Specifically, local districts should:
2.1.A: Assess school infrastructure needs and create plans to ensure all students have
access to healthy sustainable learning environments. School districts should assess
infrastructure needs for their school buildings and grounds to develop a plan that supports
lasting change toward healthy sustainable learning environments for students. New buildings,
retrofits, and renovations can be designed to optimize health and sustainability and utilize
energy-efficient clean technology. School districts should consider opportunities to leverage
state, federal, and other resources to support sustainable school infrastructure investments.
2.1.B: Utilize renewable energy. Many existing schools have the potential to adopt renewable
energy which has economic, environmental, health, and learning benefits. School districts
should support their schools in considering options to install solar, geothermal heating
and cooling, and other renewable energy options. Leveraging options like power purchase
agreements or state and federal funding may help schools utilize renewable energy with little
or no additional upfront cost.
2.1.C: Transition school bus fleets to electric. Developing plans to electrify school
bus fleets and school vehicles and build charging stations can help schools reduce their
environmental footprint and ensure cleaner air for students. Public-private partnerships and
state and federal funding can be leveraged to support districts in this transition.
2.1.D: Support healthy sustainable food use. School districts should include in their plans
opportunities to increase access to locally-grown sustainable food, support students in making
healthy food choices, and incorporate food donation, rescue, and composting to reduce waste.
2.1.E: Use replacements to support clean energy, transportation, and building

electrification. As schools need to replace building systems (including HVACs), repair
or install new roofs, and replace school buses and vehicles, districts should require
replacements utilize energy-efficient clean technology and support electrification.
2.1.F: Provide workforce development and training for school support staff to maximize
benefits and success for transition to sustainable operations. School districts should
ensure workforce development and training opportunities are available for school support
staff and facilities managers to learn about clean energy, clean transportation, and new school
district policies and systems to support sustainable operations.

2.2: Support adaptation and resilience strategies by assessing local climate risks and
determining school needs to prepare, adapt, and build resilience to climate change.
Districts should develop plans based on local context to:
2.2.A: Provide professional development for educators and school leaders on trauma-
informed practices and increase access to student mental health support. Providing
educators with tools to support students who have experienced trauma can help students cope
with experiencing climate impacts and eco-anxiety. Increasing access to mental health care by
identifying partnerships with departments of mental health, community-based organizations, and
institutions of higher education can help schools provide integrated support to address students’
social, emotional, and learning needs.
2.2.B: Develop plans for virtual learning for climate-related learning disruptions. With
potential learning disruptions related to increased heat, extreme weather, and flooding, school
districts can support continued learning for students by maintaining virtual learning plans and
continuing support for educators and families to utilize virtual learning when education in the
building is not feasible.
2.2.C: Transition to green sustainable schoolyards. Transitioning schoolyards from heat-

trapping asphalt to green sustainable schoolyards helps to create healthy spaces for students
to learn and play, increases community access to green space, and helps to build resilience by
reducing community heat and flooding.
2.2.D: Utilize schools as hubs for community resilience. Equipping schools with climate resilient
infrastructure as well as reliable power with strategies like solar microgrids with battery storage can
help the broader community prepare for extreme heat, weather, and power outages.
2.3: Support teaching and learning on climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability to
further integrate teaching and learning about climate change across the curriculum and prepare
students for the clean economy. School districts should assess existing curriculum to determine
how climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability can be further integrated across grades
and subject areas. Working with existing curriculum coordinators and environmental literacy plans
can be pivotal in determining education strategies for districts. Specifically, school districts should
identify opportunities to:
2.3.A: Provide high-quality professional development for educators and school
leaders to support teaching and learning on climate change, climate solutions, and
sustainability. High-quality, embedded, and ongoing professional development for educators
and school leaders will be essential to support teaching and learning. Importantly, this work
should be grounded in existing teaching practices and enhance existing curricula to build
support for educators without creating additional burdens or barriers.
2.3.B: Provide resources and professional development for place-based learning. Tying
climate education to local climate impacts and solutions, including actions at the school
itself (solar, electric school buses, and schoolyards), can help provide opportunities for
youth to understand climate change in an accessible and authentic way and increase student
engagement and understanding.
2.3.C: Engage students and community members in developing educational strategies and
curriculum planning. Connecting curriculum to students' lived experiences will empower youth
to be part of the solution and help students develop agency. Students, families, and community
members can contribute to educational planning to ensure community buy-in, intergenerational
learning, and continued education in the home and community.

2.3.D: Develop career and technical education opportunities to prepare students

for jobs in the clean economy and integrate environmental sustainability across all
pathways. Today’s youth will need to be prepared with the knowledge and skills needed
to succeed in jobs in the clean economy to advance a sustainable future. Partnering with
community colleges, local business, and other community organizations can help districts
identify opportunities (including apprenticeships) and build pathways to high-skill, high-wage,
and in-demand jobs.
2.3.E: Collaborate with out-of-school education providers including afterschool programs,

museums, and community-based organizations. Collaborating with organizations supporting
informal learning can help increase student engagement and provide a well-rounded
understanding of climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability. It can also help leverage
limited resources to communicate the opportunity to address climate change locally.
2.3.F: Partner with local Indigenous communities, Tribal organizations and Indian
centers to integrate Indigenous knowledge into teaching and learning. Developing
partnerships with local Indigenous communities can help educators incorporate holistic
approaches to caring for the land, air, and water and reinforce local community-based
solutions to advance a sustainable future.
2.4: Advance equity while developing local K-12 climate action plans by engaging and
prioritizing students, families, and communities most impacted by climate change. School
districts should prioritize support for students of color, Indigenous students, students with
disabilities, and low-income rural and urban students — whose communities are disproportionately
impacted by climate change — when creating and implementing climate action plans. Districts
must authentically engage these communities and incorporate their input in decision-making.
Specifically, school districts should:
2.4.A: Ensure voices of communities most impacted by climate change are centered in
decision-making, including students. To advance equity and environmental justice, districts
must develop and implement their action plans in a way that prioritizes and lifts up students
and communities who face the greatest challenges due to climate change.
2.4.B: Ensure community input in climate plans. As school districts develop climate action
plans, they should actively involve students, families, and other community members in the
planning process. District climate action plans should represent the needs and strengths of
local communities.

Opportunities at the State Level
State governments increasingly share responsibilities for decisions in schools with local school
districts. In addition to providing funding and resources to schools, states often make decisions
about state standards, educator certification, and career and technical education pathways in
addition to establishing policies on buildings, transportation, food, and emergency management.
At the state level, we recommend Governors, state-level policymakers, and state education leaders take
the following actions to demonstrate leadership and support comprehensive climate action in schools:
Recommendation 1: Take a whole-of-state approach to address climate change and include

education. With the impacts of climate change being felt across sectors and issues, states should
set ambitious whole-of-state approaches to address climate change and support coordinated climate
action. An interagency position, or coordinating agency, could help the Governor identify cross-agency
opportunities and opportunities to leverage state, local, and federal funding to address cross-cutting
priorities. This whole-of-state approach should:
1.1: Integrate education in plans to address climate change. By recognizing and including
education in their plans to address climate change, Governors and state policymakers can
elevate the opportunity for the education sector to advance climate solutions.
1.2: Establish targets for transitioning schools to clean energy, building electrification, and
electric buses. Clear targets to decarbonize the public school system can help the state and
local districts recognize the importance of transitioning schools to clean energy, electrification,
and clean transportation. These goals can also enable states to develop implementation plans to
achieve the objectives and create incentives for communities meeting decarbonization targets.
1.3: Prioritize communities most impacted by climate change and education inequities.
States can play a key role in advancing equity by targeting resources and support to urban and
rural communities with high populations of students from low-income families that will be most
impacted by pollution, heat, extreme weather, and other negative impacts of climate change.
climate action. Youth are key stakeholders in schools and in conversations about climate
change. Policymakers should listen to, support, and integrate the perspectives of youth, in
particular youth of color, youth from low-income rural and urban communities, Indigenous youth,
and youth with disabilities, in decision-making about climate action in schools.
Recommendation 2: Support school districts in developing and implementing comprehensive

local K-12 climate action plans. States can play a critical role in supporting local K-12 climate
action plans by providing guidance, technical assistance, funding, and resources to school districts
to assess local needs and assets and support implementation of local K-12 climate action plans.
Advancing state-level policies on mitigation, adaptation, and education outlined below can help
support implementation of local K-12 climate action plans.

Recommendation 3: Advance state-level programs and policies to support mitigation,
adaptation, and resilience. We recommend states establish programs or policies to:
3.1: Ensure funding for school infrastructure and school building codes support clean,
efficient, sustainable, resilient, and healthy learning environments for children. Currently,
state funding, along with local funding, is used to build and retrofit school buildings and grounds.
States can ensure funding and school building codes help schools make decisions to utilize clean
and energy-efficient technology that also promote health, well-being, and climate resilience. Even
though these systems and infrastructure improvements may have additional upfront costs, the
longer-term economic, health, learning, and environmental benefits should be prioritized.
3.2: Support the transition to electric school bus fleets. States can support districts in
transitioning to electric school buses by helping to fund the upfront costs of buses and charging
infrastructure, including by building financing partnerships with state-regulated utilities. States
can also prioritize workforce development programs that provide training on electric bus
maintenance and operations to ensure districts can access support locally.
3.2.A: Enforce idling reduction policies during the transition to electric buses. State laws
and regulations can create limits on school bus idling to reduce air pollution from diesel or
other non-electric buses. Establishing and enforcing idle reduction policies before and during
the process of transitioning to electric buses can help mitigate climate change and protect
student and community health as an interim measure.
3.3: Expand access to locally-grown, healthy, sustainable food and increase opportunities
for food donation, food rescue, and composting. States can help schools source food locally
through farm to school programs and policies that incentivize districts to procure food from
local farms and producers. School garden programs and policies that allow schools to serve the
produce grown in school gardens can also increase access to healthy food. States can support
schools in reducing food waste through policies that encourage schools to donate surplus food
to families or non-profit organizations and compost food scraps.
3.4: Develop financial incentives or opportunities to support schools in transitioning to

clean energy, transportation, and sustainable food. State level policies including power
purchase agreements, revolving loan funds, tax incentives, local food reimbursement incentives,
and other public-private partnership incentives can be utilized to help reduce or even eliminate
upfront costs for school districts. Removing the barrier of upfront cost can help many school
districts reap the health and learning benefits from the transition to clean energy, transportation,
and food and reduce long-term operational costs.

3.5: Ensure plans for virtual learning can be effective and provide access to all students.
As a critical tool to support learning disruptions related to climate change, states can help ensure
that all students have access to broadband and digital devices and that educators and families
have support to understand and utilize virtual learning options. States can also establish policies
that support virtual learning as an option for climate-related learning disruptions.
3.6: Support school districts in assessing their vulnerability to climate change and
equipping schools as hubs for community resilience. States can utilize emergency
management teams to help assist school districts in assessing their vulnerability to climate
change, support planning related to extreme weather, and determine needs for health, learning
and other continued support. State funding can be used to equip schools as hubs of resilience
with strategies such as solar microgrids or electric buses with vehicle-to-grid technology.
Additionally, states can provide guidance and potential flexibility to school districts in addressing
enrollment changes related to extreme weather including creating partnerships across districts
to support student and family needs.
3.7: Support districts in creating green sustainable schoolyards. States can leverage funding,
including funding for parks, to establish green sustainable schoolyards that are open to the
public outside of school hours. These schoolyards increase access to healthy outdoor spaces for
communities and build community resilience to heat and flooding. States should prioritize funding
for schools in communities that are currently subject to heat island effects and lack sufficient
access to parks.
Recommendation 4: Advance state-level programs and policies to support education:

We recommend states establish programs or policies to:
4.1: Integrate climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability in standards across
grades and subjects. Climate change will impact all facets of society from earth science
and weather to economics and health. While several states have integrated the teaching of
climate science in science standards, considering ways to integrate lessons on climate change
across the curriculum can provide students with deeper opportunities to engage and seek
solutions. Standards developed in a developmentally appropriate way can help students build an
understanding of our relationship to our environment and climate and how that, in turn, impacts
our society. Additionally, tying these standards to climate solutions and civics can empower
students to develop agency, understand how they can make a difference, and help address
climate change.
4.1.A. Develop curriculum frameworks and guides tied to the standards. To ensure
successful implementation of the state standards, states can provide curriculum frameworks
and guides to support teaching and learning. These guides help draw connections
between the standards and curriculum by identifying lessons that can support students’
understanding of the different standards.
4.1.B. Provide professional development tied to the standards for educators and school
leaders. To build the capacity of educators and school leaders to effectively support teaching
and learning, the state has the opportunity to support high-quality professional development
related to climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability.
4.1.C. Leverage teacher certification to ensure teachers are prepared to teach these
cross-curricular standards. Teacher certification and licensure provides an opportunity
for states to support new educators in being prepared to engage students in learning about
climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability.
4.2: Develop career and technical education opportunities to prepare students for jobs in
the clean economy and integrate environmental sustainability across all career pathways.
Building on existing state plans for career and technical education, states can seek opportunities
to establish career pathways in industries such as clean energy, emergency management, and
sustainable agriculture, and ensure credentials are aligned with high-skill, high-wage jobs in
the clean economy. States can also provide guidance about ways to integrate environmental
sustainability across career pathways. To build collaboration, states can support dual-enrollment
programs between K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions and engage clean economy
industry partners to ensure CTE standards and opportunities align with the needs of industry,
business, higher education, and the community.
Opportunities at the Federal Level

The federal government can play a critical role in helping to support schools in moving toward
climate action, solutions, and environmental justice. With much of the federal role in education
focused on advancing equity by targeting resources to communities with high populations of
low-income students, the federal government can leverage resources, in particular for communities
most impacted by climate change. The federal government can also play a critical role in producing
research, disseminating best practices, and elevating the role education can play in climate solutions.
Recommendation 1: Elevate and amplify the role education can play in climate solutions.
Policymakers at the federal level can utilize leadership and communications to advance climate action,
climate solutions, and environmental justice in schools. The White House, Department of Education,
and other agencies can use their platforms and convening power to help build awareness about the
need and opportunity for the education sector to contribute to climate solutions. We recommend that
the federal government take the following actions to demonstrate leadership to support climate action
in schools:
1.1: Build cross-agency collaboration to support the education sector in taking climate action.
The federal government should develop cross-agency collaboration to support the education
sector in taking climate action. Given the following agencies’ responsibilities include:
• The U.S. Department of Education supporting many equity initiatives in schools,
• The Environmental Protection Agency supporting healthy learning environments, clean
school buses, and environmental education,
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture supporting school meals,
• The Department of Interior supporting the Bureau of Indian Education,
• The U.S. Department of Energy supporting research and technical assistance on clean
energy in schools,
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration supporting climate education,
• The White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy establishing government-wide
leadership, and
• Other federal agencies with interest and jurisdiction,
cross-agency collaboration can advance a comprehensive approach to support education in
moving toward climate action, solutions, and environmental justice. Establishing a position or lead
office within the White House can help support the cross-agency priorities for education, including
early and post-secondary education and workforce development to build the capacity for our
society to address climate change and succeed in the clean economy.

1.2: Establish climate change as a U.S. Department of Education priority. Schools, school
districts, and states look to the Department of Education for leadership. The U.S. Department
of Education can include climate action, climate solutions, and sustainability as a priority across
grant programs and establish a position within the Secretary’s office to elevate solutions and
address climate change. As the Department of Education establishes agency-wide priorities, the
elevation of climate change as a priority will send a strong message to the field and provide an
opportunity for grantees to support work on climate action in schools.
climate action. Youth are key stakeholders in schools and in conversations about climate
change. Policymakers should listen to, support, and integrate the perspectives of youth, in
particular youth of color, youth from low-income rural and urban communities, Indigenous youth,
and youth with disabilities in decision-making about climate action in schools.
1.4 Research, recognize, and effectively disseminate best practices gathered across federal
agencies to provide states, districts, and schools with easy access to information, research,
and strategies to support the sector in moving to climate action. Several programs currently
highlight best practices in schools. For instance, the Department of Education’s Green Ribbon
Schools annually recognizes successful green schools across the country. The Department of
Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge has featured schools transitioning to net-zero energy. NOAA’s
Bay Watershed Education and Training helps schools provide indoor and outdoor watershed
education. USDA's Farm to School grant program supports schools in accessing locally-grown
healthy food. The federal government should work to coordinate and effectively disseminate
research and best practices across federal agencies to provide states, districts, and schools with
easy access to information, research, and strategies to support the sector in moving to climate
action, solutions, and environmental justice.
Recommendation 2: Support the development and implementation of local K-12 climate

action plans. Grants from the federal government can be used to help school districts develop
and implement comprehensive climate action plans to mitigate, adapt, educate, and advance
equity to address climate change. These grants can support planning based on local needs, assets,
interests, and collaborative development with the community. They can prioritize community efforts
to leverage existing federal, state, and local funding to support the plan’s implementation and to
coordinate with local climate action plans at the town, city, or county level.

Recommendation 3: Advance federal policies and programs to support mitigation, adaptation,
and resilience: We recommend the federal government establish policies and programs to:
3.1: Invest in school infrastructure to promote clean energy, clean air, clean water, sustainable
schoolyards, sustainable food, and adaptation. School infrastructure investments from the
federal government can further ensure the health, safety, and well-being of students and educators,
improve learning outcomes and the environmental and fiscal sustainability of schools, and build
resilience for communities. Given existing resource inequities, urban, rural, and Indigenous schools
with high populations of low-income students often face barriers in making needed infrastructure
improvements. The federal government has an opportunity to remove these barriers by providing
grants to under-resourced school districts to repair, renovate, and modernize their school buildings
and grounds, including schools that receive funding through the federal Bureau of Indian Education.
All infrastructure investments should consider student and educator health and learning, include
clean and sustainable building systems and technology, and provide opportunities for workforce
training in clean energy systems. Specifically, these investments should support:
3.1.A: Repairs and renovations of school buildings to increase energy-efficiency and use of
renewable energy. Strategies including solar, geothermal heating and cooling, building design,
and adaptive lighting can help schools make progress toward net-zero energy and create
learning opportunities for students. Utilizing federal investments to support schools across
the country in making progress toward net-zero energy will not only increase the environmental
sustainability of our schools but also ensure that, in the future, more local taxpayer dollars can
be devoted to teaching and learning.
3.1.B: Improvements to indoor air quality. Poor indoor air quality impacts student health
and learning, and climate change can decrease indoor air quality as heat, pollution, and the
prevalence of allergens worsen. Federal investments in school infrastructure should help
ensure healthy indoor air quality with strategies including improved ventilation, filtration, and
pollutant removal.
3.1.C: Access to safe drinking water in schools. Lead testing as well as filtration, repairs,
and replacing lead service lines and fittings can help ensure all children have access to safe
and healthy drinking water and improve long-term health outcomes for students. Federal
investments in school infrastructure should help ensure safe drinking water for students.
3.1.D: Sustainable schoolyards. Transitioning schoolyards from heat-trapping asphalt to

green sustainable schoolyards can provide healthy and safe spaces for students to learn
and play, reduce community heat and flooding, and increase access to green space for
communities. Federal investments in school infrastructure should support
green sustainable schoolyards.
3.1.E: Sustainable food. School kitchens with the ability to support cooking from scratch and
cleaning reusable dishes can help promote access to healthy sustainable food and reduce
waste from food packaging. Federal investments in school infrastructure should support
schools in building kitchens with these capabilities.
3.1.F: Climate adaptation and resilience. Schools will need to adapt to worsening climate
impacts and can serve as community hubs of resilience where community members can
shelter during emergencies and access clean electricity with strategies like solar micro-
grids with battery storage. Federal investments in school infrastructure should support
schools in assessing local climate risks and building more resilient infrastructure to help
schools and communities adapt to climate change.

3.2: Support the transition to electric school bus fleets. Investments from the federal
government to help offset the upfront costs of electric school buses and charging infrastructure
can help students breathe cleaner air and reduce the sector’s environmental footprint.
Investments to support schools in transitioning to electric school buses should be used for
buses, charging infrastructure, and training. Based on local needs, this funding could also permit
schools to transition their non-bus fleet to electric and build workplace charging infrastructure,
ensuring better air quality around the school and reducing the overall environmental impact of
the school system.
3.3: Expand access to locally-grown, healthy, sustainable food and increase opportunities
for food donation, food rescue, and composting. The federal government should build on
existing guidance through the National School Lunch and the School Breakfast Program to
support states, districts, and schools with food donation and recovery as well as composting.
Additionally, expanding the Farm to School grant program from USDA and supporting states in
developing farm to school programs can help increase access to locally-grown food in schools.
3.4: Increase broadband access for schools and families. Investments from the federal
government should support efforts to increase high-speed internet access, and in particular,
home internet access. Expanding internet access can build resilience for our school systems
when faced with potential learning disruptions.
3.5: Establish financing opportunities through tax incentives, bond authority, and revolving
loan funds. In addition to providing direct grants, the federal government should consider
options to use tax incentives, bond authority, and revolving loan funds to assist schools in
transitioning to sustainable operations. For instance, providing a direct-pay option for renewable
energy tax credits for schools would allow schools to maximize economic benefits from
strategies like solar installation, without needing to rely on third party developers to benefit.
Funding school infrastructure bonds or establishing revolving loan funds (where future savings
can be reinvested into other infrastructure projects) can also help create funding mechanisms for
school infrastructure and clean energy initiatives. As the federal government creates incentives
for transitioning to a clean economy, policymakers should ensure schools are able to access and
benefit from these incentives.

Recommendation 4: Advance federal policies and programs to support education.
We recommend the federal government establish policies and programs to:
4.1: Prepare youth for jobs in the clean economy and integrate environmental sustainability
across all career pathways through career and technical education. Increased funding from
Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act or other job training programs should be
used to support districts in determining opportunities to integrate environmental sustainability
across career pathways and create or expand CTE courses and programs that prepare students
for high-skill, high-wage jobs and careers in industries such as solar energy, wind energy,
environmental engineering, sustainable agriculture, or emergency management. To ensure
equity and a just transition, policymakers should prioritize districts with high percentages of
students from low-income families and districts most impacted by climate change and the
transition to a clean energy economy.
4.1.A: Invest in opportunity youth to ensure an equitable and just transition. To ensure an
equitable and just transition and build an economy that works for everyone, opportunity youth
must be included. Increasing investments in Job Corps, Youth Build, and National Service,
including a Civilian Climate Corps, can include opportunities for apprenticeships and pathways
for opportunity youth to access good jobs and careers in industries such as solar energy, wind
energy, environmental engineering, sustainable agriculture, or emergency management.
4.2: Enable professional development and teacher preparation programs to support

teaching and learning on climate change, climate solutions, and environmental justice.
Several programs within the Department of Education including Supporting Effective Instruction
Grants and the Supporting Effective Educator Development Programs may provide opportunities
to support educators in teaching climate change, climate solutions, environmental justice, and
sustainability. Additionally, programs like Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants
can build educators’ capacity to support social emotional learning and build student resilience.
To advance this work, the Department of Education can learn from other governmental
offices including EPA’s Office of Environmental Education or NOAA’s Office of Education. The
Department of Education, working with other agencies, can provide technical assistance and
elevate the opportunity for grantees to integrate educator support for teaching climate change,
climate solutions, and environmental justice.
4.3: Emphasize the importance of Indigenous knowledge systems and disseminate best
practices to build broader awareness of Indigenous knowledge. Existing programs to support
Indian Education, Native Hawaiian Education, and Native Alaskan Education through the Every
Student Succeeds Act can continue to emphasize the importance of and support learning about
Indigenous knowledge systems and Indigenous culture, language, and food sovereignty to
reaffirm the role of holistic approaches toward understanding the relationship between humans
and the environment. Dissemination of best practices from these programs can help build
broader awareness of Indigenous knowledge as a practice.

Opportunities for Advocacy
Students, parents, caregivers, families, and
educators can play a crucial role in advocating for
climate action in their schools and communities. As
the primary stakeholders in education, students,
parents, and families are critical voices to drive
action in their schools and can work with educators
to advance school and district-wide policies that
meet local needs.
Students can advocate for climate mitigation,
adaptation, and education at the school level
through clubs, student government, and
community-based organizations that support
youth leadership. Student representatives on
school boards at the local and state level can be
leaders in elevating opportunities for local and
state school boards to take action. Students can
also apply their knowledge of civics and their lived
experiences in their schools and communities to
share their ideas and stories with educators and
school leaders.
Parents, caregivers, families, and educators can
work with school PTAs or other parent and family
organizations to advocate for climate action in their
students’ schools. For example, a growing number
of school boards are passing 100% clean energy
resolutions or planning to transition their school buses
to electric as a result of student and family activism.
Recognizing the potential learning, environmental,
health, and equity benefits, education, climate, and
civil rights advocacy organizations can also play a
critical role in supporting local, state, and federal
advocacy efforts with students, parents and
caregivers, and educators.
Students, parents and caregivers, educators,

and advocacy organization should consider
opportunities to:
• Recognize the opportunity for cross-sector
intergenerational collaboration to advance
climate action within their local schools; and
• Advocate that schools and districts
comprehensively address climate change by
reducing the school systems’ environmental
footprint, adapting to climate impacts, and
engaging students in learning about climate
change, climate solutions, and high-skill,
high-wage jobs in the clean economy.

Opportunities for Business
Business can play a critical role in supporting
climate action in schools as an opportunity to
help the sector prepare youth for jobs in the clean
economy. Business advocacy organizations and
trade associations can help identify the knowledge
and skills needed for the clean economy and
advocate for increased teaching and learning
opportunities to ensure students are prepared
for success. Additionally, ensuring clean economy
industries participate in industry advisory councils,
partner with career and technical education
programs, and provide apprenticeships can help
build a pathway for students to high-skill, high-wage
clean economy jobs.
Businesses can also partner with schools and
districts to finance climate mitigation and
adaptation efforts as an investment. These public-
private partnerships can help districts avoid
upfront costs that may otherwise be prohibitive.
For example, Highland Electric Transportation
is partnering with Montgomery County Public
Schools in Maryland to help the district transition
to electric school buses. The company will
purchase the buses and provide maintenance and
operations support for the district. The district
will lease the buses for the same amount they
have been paying for diesel buses. This cost is
higher than the cost of operating and maintaining
electric buses, allowing Highland Electric to repay
the upfront costs of the buses and earn a profit
through the differential over time. Opening up
financing opportunities for schools to transition to
sustainable operations can also help businesses
in meeting their environmental, social, and
governance (ESG) goals.
Business should consider opportunities to:

• Advocate for teaching and learning to
support students in developing the
knowledge and skills needed for the clean
economy; and
• Engage with public-private partnerships
to support mitigation and adaptation
investments in schools.

Opportunities for Media
Media can play a critical role in supporting climate learning about climate change to students' lived
action in schools. Young people and families experiences. Further, learning about ways students
across the country are exposed to media through can take action within their schools can help them
television, radio, YouTube, apps, social media, develop agency and learn how they can make a
and streaming platforms. Given this extensive difference in their broader community.
reach, media can help students and families
understand the opportunity to support schools in
Media should consider opportunities to:
reducing their environmental footprint, adapting
to climate impacts, and teaching climate change, • Support a coordinated campaign across
climate solutions, and sustainability. Working media outlets and platforms to help young
in close collaboration with public institutions people and families better understand
such as NASA, NOAA, NSF, public broadcasting climate change and climate solutions;
outlets, and other scientific agencies can help • Share stories about how young people can
media outlets provide scientific information and take action to advance climate solutions,
resources about climate change and solutions to particularly in their schools and local
communities, families and children. communities; and
The media can combat potential worries about • Encourage young people to create their
eco-anxiety by tying information about climate own content through user-generated
change to climate solutions. Sharing information platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and
through the lens of connections to school—for Instagram to further amplify information
example, how diesel school buses or food waste about climate change and solutions.
in the cafeteria impact emissions—connects
Opportunities for Philanthropy

Philanthropic foundations already do extensive intergenerational organizing and collaboration, enable
work to support the education sector and address innovation, and develop best practices for taking
climate change, though few are working at the climate action in schools. This is especially important
intersection of the two. Addressing climate change in communities that may not otherwise have access to
through schools and out-of-school education the resources and support needed to prioritize climate
programs can advance many foundations’ existing action on a broad scale.
strategic priorities such as health and equity. Every
community will experience the impacts of climate
With philanthropic organizations across
change, so both global philanthropies and those the country ranging from large private
engaged in place-based work could impact how foundations, to community foundations, to
communities prepare for climate change. Ultimately, small family foundations, philanthropy can
a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable help support cross-sector work by considering:
education system increases opportunities and
• Impacts climate change will have on their
strengthens communities.
existing communities and priorities;
Support from philanthropy can help communities that • Opportunities to incorporate diverse
are most impacted by climate change — primarily voices and perspectives, including youth,
low-income communities and communities of color into strategic priorities; and
— access the resources they need to implement
• Silos across strategic priorities hindering
climate solutions and continue to lead on climate cross-sector work needed to achieve
action. Philanthropy can also be a catalyst to help success across intersectional issues.
communities leverage additional resources, support

Menu of Solutions
100% RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOLUTIONS
Passing a 100% renewable energy resolution in a school district commits the district to transitioning from existing
energy sources that use fossil fuels to using clean energy sources for all operational needs. Generally, these
resolutions include a target year by which the transition will be made along with potential intermediate goals.
Benefits • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions for the district with implementation.
• Saves districts money on energy costs. Energy costs are currently the second
highest costs for districts, and transitioning school districts to clean renewable
energy can significantly reduce and potentially eliminate those annual costs.
• Creates learning and leadership opportunities for students. Many successful

campaigns for clean energy resolutions have been led by students and continue
to involve students in implementation.
Addressing Barriers • Garnering support from school board members to pass a resolution is a potential
barrier. Collaboration between students, parents, educators, and school board
members and effective messaging and communication can build support.
• Securing funding for clean energy transitions and energy efficiency upgrades
can be a barrier. Leveraging local, state, and federal funds and establishing
public-private partnerships can lower upfront costs.
• Effective implementation is critical for successful follow through of clean

energy resolutions. Planning for implementation early on and collaborating with
students, parents, and educators on implementation plans can help districts set
themselves up for success.
Success Stories • Salt Lake City School District passed a 100% clean energy resolution in June
2020, committing to use 100% renewable energy for electricity by 2030 and
100% carbon neutral energy for all energy uses by 2040.
• In December 2019, Los Angeles Unified School District passed a resolution

committing to transition to 100% clean, renewable energy by 2040.
CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION COORDINATOR

A climate change education coordinator in a school district can help integrate cross-curricular climate change
education and support educators in teaching about climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability.
Benefits • Can identify cross-curricular opportunities for climate education across all
grade levels.
• Can provide professional development and embedded and ongoing support for
educators on climate education.
Addressing Barriers • Funding can be a barrier to hiring a climate change education coordinator.
Searching funding opportunities such as grants can help cover costs.
Success Stories • In Oregon, Portland Public Schools hired a Climate Justice Programs Manager
to support teaching and learning about climate change and climate justice
across grades and subjects and co-design curricula with students.

CLIMATE CHANGE IN STATE STANDARDS
State standards set expectations for what students should know and be able to do in each subject at each
grade level. Including climate change in state standards helps schools ensure students have a foundational
understanding of climate change so they can make decisions that protect their communities and prepare
them for the future.
Benefits • Sets an expectation that all students across the state will have the opportunity to
learn about climate change.
• Opens opportunities for states to provide more support to educators and school
leaders on teaching about climate change to implement state standards.
Addressing Barriers • State laws may dictate when state standards can be revised, which can be a
barrier. Learning about when and how your state revises standards can help
determine the most effective opportunities to integrate climate change.
• Curriculum debates can be a challenge in including climate change education

in schools. Focusing on local climate impacts, sustainability, and environmental
conservation can build community support.
Success Stories • In 2020, New Jersey became the first state in the country to revise its state
standards to include climate change across grade levels and subjects.
COMPOSTING
Composting is a way to convert food waste into a natural fertilizer. As food sits in landfills, it emits methane,
a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Composting helps to divert food waste from
landfills, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Benefits • Composting programs in school cafeterias provide opportunities for

sustainability education and student leadership.
• Compost can be used as a natural fertilizer in school gardens or in the community.
Addressing Barriers • Meeting all composting needs on-site can be a barrier. Partnering with
community-based organizations can help schools create and implement
structures that support some on-site and off-site composting.
• Buy-in from school leaders and staff can be a challenge for establishing school
composting programs. Educating and training school staff on composting
benefits and processes can help with implementation.
Success Stories • San Diego Unified School District’s food waste reduction program, called Love
Food Not Waste, includes support for composting food waste from school
cafeterias. The program, which includes food donation as well as composting,
has rescued 530,900 pounds of food from schools and eliminated 275,200
pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

CURRICULUM SUPPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Curriculum supports can include frameworks, lesson plans, and other materials that help educators
teach about climate change, sustainability, and the environment. Curriculum and related supports can be
developed collaboratively with educators, students, and community-based organizations and aligned to
state standards.
Benefits • Gives educators tools to teach about climate change, sustainability,

and the environment.
• Can help more students access education on climate change, sustainability,

and other environmental topics.
• Can support implementation of state standards that include climate change

and sustainability.
Addressing Barriers • Capacity can be a barrier to developing and implementing robust curriculum
supports. Partnering with environmental education and community-based
organizations can help increase capacity.
Success Stories • In California, the state recently provided funding to San Mateo County to develop
open access climate change and environmental justice curricula for all grades that
align with the state’s required environmental principles and concepts.
• The National Wildlife Fund’s Resilient Schools Consortium (RiSC) helps students learn
about how climate impacts will affect their communities and what they can do to make
their communities more resilient. The curriculum uses hands-on, place-based learning
to teach about coastal resilience and extreme heat in New York City schools.
• In Seattle, the Learning in Places project is working with students, educators, and
families to co-design culturally relevant science curriculum for grades K-3. The
program uses school gardens and community green spaces to help students learn
about ecological reasoning and decision-making in their communities.

EDUCATOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY
In-service professional development (PD) provides educators with knowledge and instructional tools they can
use to improve teaching and learning in their classrooms. PD focused on climate change, climate solutions,
and sustainability helps prepare and empower teachers to include these topics as they are teaching.
Benefits • Supports educator’s knowledge of climate change, climate solutions, and

sustainability and how these topics can be incorporated across the curriculum.
Addressing Barriers • Capacity can be a barrier to increasing PD opportunities. Educators already have
PD requirements and many constraints on their time. Embedding PD on climate
change into existing PD opportunities can help reduce capacity constraints.
• Ineffective implementation can be a barrier to successful PD. Research shows

that PD is most effective when educators receive continued support and
coaching on incorporating what they have learned into their practice.
Success Stories • In Washington State, the ClimeTime network is a state-funded professional

development program where educators have the opportunity to collaboratively
develop knowledge, skills, awareness, and tools to teach climate science.
• Arizona State University’s Sustainability Teachers’ Academies provide workshops

on teaching about sustainability. Each workshop involves 200 hours of hands-on,
interactive professional development for K-12 educators across the country.
ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES
Electric school buses run on electricity rather than diesel fuel — a leading contributor to air pollution
and greenhouse gas emissions.
Benefits • Supports students’ health. Electric school buses do not have tailpipe
emissions that contribute to air pollution and have been linked to childhood
asthma and absenteeism.
• Saves districts money in the long-run. Each bus saves an average of $170,000 in
maintenance and operation costs over its lifetime.
Addressing Barriers • The upfront costs for electric school buses are higher than diesel school buses
and buses require charging infrastructure. Public-private partnerships, grants,
and government support can make electric school buses more affordable.
Success Stories • In California, Stockton Unified School District is supporting the transition to
electric school buses through grants from the California Air Resources Board,
the California Energy Commission, and rebates from the district’s local utility
company. Less than a year after submitting the first grant proposal, the district
has built charging stations and acquired its first set of electric buses.
• In Maryland, Montgomery County Public Schools recently announced a plan

to transition its entire bus fleet to electric through a partnership with Highland
Electric Transportation. Highland Electric will lease the buses to the district and
take care of maintenance and operations for the same price the district would
typically pay to purchase and maintain a diesel bus, which avoids the challenge of
higher upfront costs.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY EDUCATION
Education on energy efficiency helps students, educators, and other school staff understand the
importance of conserving energy and what they can do to conserve.
Benefits • Helps lower energy use, which makes it easier for schools to become net-zero
energy or close to net-zero energy.
• Creates opportunities for hands-on learning and student leadership on energy

efficiency and climate mitigation.
Addressing Barriers • Capacity can be a barrier to coordinated energy efficiency education. Partnering
with local businesses or community-based organizations and hiring a district
sustainability manager can help build capacity and support implementation.
Success Stories • In California, Stockton Unified School District, students are involved in the
energy patrol, which helps teach students and staff about reducing energy use
and practicing energy conservation.
GEOTHERMAL HEATING AND COOLING

Geothermal heating and cooling uses the Earth’s underground stable temperature to provide heating and
cooling for buildings through a network of pipes and wells dug into the ground. Geothermal heating and cooling
replace gas heating systems and inefficient HVAC systems, reducing schools’ greenhouse gas emissions.
Benefits • Geothermal heating and cooling is an efficient, reliable, and sustainable system
for heating and cooling school buildings.
• Geothermal heating and cooling saves schools money on operations costs as

the systems generally need less maintenance than traditional heating and
cooling systems.
Addressing Barriers • Some school sites may not be compatible with geothermal heating and cooling
due to soil composition or space constraints and upfront costs can be a barrier.
Working with engineers can help determine best sites for geothermal and the
potential payoff period when factoring in annual savings.
Success Stories • In West Virginia, Berkeley County Schools installed geothermal heating and
cooling systems in seven schools and made additional energy efficiency
upgrades, resulting in a 75% decrease in energy use in those schools.

GREEN CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE)
Green career and technical education (CTE) programs or pathways focus on sustainability and clean energy
jobs to prepare students for success in the clean economy. Jobs in the clean energy sector are among the
fastest growing in the country and as climate change continues to impact society, all industries will need to
adapt and become more sustainable.
Benefits • Prepares students to be successful in in-demand, high-wage, high-skill jobs that

will increasingly become available with the clean economy.
• Helps employers by ensuring young people are prepared for success in the clean
economy workforce.
Addressing Barriers • Insufficient educator knowledge and skills related to sustainability and clean
energy can be a barrier to expanding green CTE programs. Establishing
partnerships with businesses and institutions of higher education can help
increase capacity and support educators.
Success Stories • P-TECH schools have CTE programs that let students both explore careers related
to sustainability and climate change and learn the technical skills needed to qualify
for high-skill, high-wage jobs. Students at P-TECH schools graduate with a high
school diploma and an associate’s degree in six years and are first in line for jobs
with industry partners.
• The Environmental Sciences and Climate Institute (ESCI), a new collaborative

between several school districts and community colleges in rural southwest
Colorado is designed in collaboration with community colleges and includes
project-based learning and exposure to climate related careers including
emergency management.
GREEN SCHOOLYARDS
Green sustainable schoolyards replace heat-trapping asphalt with outdoor spaces that incorporate grass, trees,
or other native plants creating healthy spaces for students to learn and play. Some green schoolyards have
edible gardens, rain gardens, or other elements that support learning about sustainability and the environment.
Benefits • Supports student and community health by reducing the impacts of high heat,
which presents greater risks to children and low-income communities of color.
• Provides outdoor learning opportunities for students and healthy space for
students to learn and play.
Addressing Barriers • Funding can be a potential barrier. Creating partnerships with non-profit
organizations and municipal agencies can help schools secure funding for design,
construction, and upkeep.
Success Stories • The School District of Philadelphia has worked with non-profits and city agencies
to create sustainable schoolyards with green stormwater management in over 30
schools. Many other schools in the district have been updated to include school
gardens or other green elements.
• In Chicago, the Space to Grow initiative is a partnership between Chicago

Public Schools, two municipal water agencies, and two non-profit organizations.
The initiative has worked with school communities to design, construct, and
maintain 25 green schoolyards primarily in under-resourced neighborhoods.
LOCAL FOOD PROCUREMENT
Districts obtain school food in accordance with state and local policies on food safety, nutrition, and
procurement processes. Policies such as local food procurement incentives and farm-to-school programs
make it easier for districts to obtain school food from local farms and other food producers. These policies
reduce the distance that food travels to arrive at schools, which decreases the amount of greenhouse
gases emitted from transportation, and they can also promote more sustainable food choices when
partnering with local farms.
Benefits • Supports local farms and food producers financially by incentivizing districts
to buy from local businesses.
• Incentivizing districts to procure food from local farms can help increase
fresh produce offered in schools, which supports student health.
Addressing Barriers • Lack of school kitchen equipment for cooking from scratch can be a barrier
to incorporating locally-grown produce into school meals. Grants and other
funding opportunities can help schools and districts update their kitchens
with necessary equipment.
• Many districts work with food service management companies to provide

school food, which can be a barrier to serving local food. Districts can work with
distributors to prioritize sourcing ingredients locally.
Success Stories • In Texas, Austin Independent School District partners with the Good Food
Purchasing Program to incorporate locally-produced food in schools by
partnering with local farms and local wholesale food producers. During the 2015-
16 school year, 47% of the district’s food came from local producers.
• The New Mexico Grown program is a state grant program that incentivizes
districts who participate in the National School Lunch Program to serve local
fruits and vegetables for meals and snacks. The program is managed by a Farm
to School Specialist at the state’s Department of Public Education.

NET-ZERO ENERGY SCHOOLS
Net-zero energy schools produce as much clean energy as they consume throughout the course of a year.
Most schools accomplish this through a combination of energy efficiency improvements, building design,
energy education, and renewable energy.
Benefits • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions and school energy and operations costs.
Funds saved on energy can be repurposed to support teaching and learning.
• Provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn about sustainable

infrastructure and energy conservation.
Addressing Barriers • Despite assumptions about higher cost, the design and construction of net-zero
energy school buildings can often be built for the same cost as school buildings
that are not net-zero energy.
• Limitations of certain school sites may be a barrier to net-zero energy schools,

particularly when renovating existing buildings. For example, some school roofs
may not be compatible with solar panel installations. Schools that are unable to
be fully net-zero energy can still benefit from energy efficiency improvements.
• Schools may not know where to start to create healthy, sustainable buildings.
Established programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools can provide guidance.
Success Stories • Kentucky used money from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) to create a program that helped improve energy efficiency efforts in schools.
As a result, Kentucky was home to the first net-zero K-12 school in the country, and
remains among the states with the greatest number of net-zero schools.
• Discovery Elementary School in Arlington, VA is a net-zero energy school that saves

$117,000 annually in utility costs compared to a typical elementary school of the
same size in the district. This is enough to cover the salaries of two starting teachers.

OUT-OF-SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING
Out-of-school time (OST) programs provide students with opportunities to learn and pursue their interests
through community-based programs during afterschool hours, over the summer, or through informal learning
in spaces such as museums. Including outdoor education and learning about the environment in OST
programs addresses climate change by expanding students’ opportunities to learn about sustainability and
their local environment.
Benefits • Provides opportunities for students to develop and follow their own interests
outside of school increasing their engagement and learning.
• Supports youth in learning about their local environment and culture while
increasing connections to the community.
Addressing Barriers • Limited green spaces or other safe outdoor spaces can be a challenge for
outdoor education. Partnerships between community-based organizations and
local parks departments can improve access.
Success Stories • The Fresh Tracks program supports youth of color, opportunity youth, and
Indigenous youth in becoming leaders for equity and environmental justice in
their communities by using nature and cultures to bridge divides.
• The Girl Scout Tree Promise initiative challenges Girl Scout troops to plant five
million trees across the country in five years in order to preserve forests and
reduce climate change.
• National 4-H provides opportunities for youth to learn about the environment,
agriculture, and health through youth leadership opportunities in their communities,
including through a middle school curriculum on sustainability and climate change.
PLANS FOR SUDDEN ENROLLMENT CHANGES

Climate impacts such as hurricanes, wildfires, and severe flooding can cause families to move to different
areas to regain stability in the face of loss. As families migrate within the U.S. and arrive from abroad,
schools and districts may see upticks in enrollment in the middle of the year. Creating plans for enrollment
changes helps districts adapt to extreme weather and become more resilient to climate impacts.
Benefits • Supports the mental health of arriving students who may have experienced
trauma associated with extreme weather by having plans to evaluate students
and provide needed services.
• Supports the academic success of arriving students who may have had
significant disruptions in schooling due to extreme weather by having plans to
integrate students into the district and evaluate them for any needed services.
Addressing Barriers • Capacity constraints can be a barrier to creating plans for enrollment changes.
Districts can create partnerships with community-based organizations and other
nearby districts to increase capacity when needed.
Success Stories • Miami-Dade County Public Schools has plans to serve incoming students in
three different scenarios, depending on the rate of new student arrivals —
accepting students at all schools, setting up one to three registration centers,
or establishing new full-service schools to serve newly-arrived students. Each
plan is designed to meet students’ academic, physical health, mental health, and
social emotional needs.

POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Power purchase agreements (PPAs) allow third party developers to install and maintain solar panels at a
school site with the school buying the solar power generated by the panels at a fixed cost for a number of
years. PPAs enable schools to use solar energy for little or no additional cost.
Benefits • Allows districts to benefit from solar panels without needing to purchase, install,
or maintain them.
• Saves schools money on energy costs because the cost of solar energy is
generally cheaper than traditional energy sources and can remain the same
throughout the term of the agreement (e.g. 20 years).
Addressing Barriers • Laws on PPAs differ by state, and in some instances may prevent schools from
using PPAs. Advocating for changes to PPA laws, where applicable, can help
more schools benefit from PPAs.
Success Stories • In Arizona, Tucson Unified School District uses solar power at 80 schools and
is expected to save $43 million in energy costs over 20 years. Through a power
purchase agreement, the district paid no upfront costs and will purchase the
energy generated by the solar panels at a fixed rate for 20 years.
REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS

Revolving loan funds can help support clean energy projects which save money over time. As one project
repays the loan with the energy costs saved, a loan is then given to the next project. This structure enables
a smaller upfront fund to be continually used to support additional clean energy projects.
Benefits • Increases access to clean energy for schools or districts that may face challenges
raising capital funds.
• Enables a single funding source to support multiple schools or districts in

transitioning to clean energy.
Addressing Barriers • Acquiring initial funding for a revolving loan fund can be a barrier. Partnering with
businesses and government agencies can help raise initial funds.
Success Stories • Maine established a School Revolving Renovation Fund in 1998 to help
schools address health and safety concerns and improve energy and water
conservation in school buildings.

SCHOOL GARDENS
School gardens are used to grow produce at school which can be used by students and families. School
gardens provide students with local food and can help students learn about sustainable food systems.
Benefits • Provides hands-on opportunities for students to learn about the environment,
sustainability, and growing food across all grades and across the curriculum.
• Can expose students and families to different types of produce and new
ways of cooking.
Addressing Barriers • Maintaining school gardens over time can be a potential barrier. Partnerships with
community-based organizations can help provide funding, capacity, and expertise.
Success Stories • In California, Oakland Unified School District has a goal of establishing a garden at
every school. The district has a policy outlining the role of building and grounds staff
in maintaining school gardens and a ready-to-use memorandum of understanding
form for schools whose garden education is provided by outside organizations.
SOLAR POWER FOR SCHOOLS

Solar power converts sunlight into clean, renewable energy through solar panels that can be installed
across school campuses — on roofs, over parking areas, or on the ground. By relying on clean, renewable
energy, solar power reduces greenhouse gas emissions for schools.
Benefits • Using solar power provides schools with clean energy and saves schools money
on energy costs and operations.
• Installing solar panels creates opportunities for students across grade levels to
learn about clean energy and solar power.
Addressing Barriers • Upfront costs to install solar panels are a potential barrier. Power purchase
agreements (PPAs) let districts purchase solar energy from a third party, which
can reduce or eliminate costs for districts.
• Some school sites may not be compatible with solar panels due to roof integrity,
size, or other constraints. Districts can still reduce fossil fuel use and energy
costs by installing solar panels on schools that are compatible.
Success Stories • In Arkansas, Batesville School District worked with teachers to reduce energy
consumption and installed solar panels on two schools. The combined 1,483
solar panels generate half of the district’s energy needs and save the district
$100,000 per year in energy costs. Teachers also received training on how to
incorporate solar technology into STEM classes.

STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
Extreme weather events often damage schools, homes, and other buildings in a community and cause many
students and their families to experience homelessness, food insecurity, and other losses. Supporting student
mental health helps students recover from extreme weather events and build their resilience to climate impacts.
Benefits • Helps students manage their responses to traumatic events like hurricanes,
wildfires, and other extreme weather.
• Addressing students' mental health needs can help students and educators
continue with teaching and learning in the aftermath of community-wide trauma.
• Develops students’ ability to be resilient in the face of climate impacts and other
sources of trauma.
Addressing Barriers • Staff capacity can be a barrier. Establishing partnerships with community-based
organizations and nearby school districts can increase capacity in the event of
community-wide trauma.
• Lack of training for non-mental health staff in schools. Professional development

on trauma-informed practices and mental health support can help educators and
other school staff appropriately respond to students' needs.
Success Stories • After Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rico Department of Education worked with the
non-profit Pure Edge to train educators and school mental health professionals
on supporting students who have experienced trauma.
SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR
A sustainability director for a school district can help manage and coordinate the district’s efforts to
improve sustainability in facilities and operations and the district’s climate mitigation efforts.
Benefits • Providing leadership and support for schools and districts in reducing
their environmental footprints.
• Supports energy efficiency education for students, educators, and staff.
Addressing Barriers • Funding can be a barrier to hiring a sustainability director. Searching for funding
opportunities and realizing the potential for savings from lower energy costs as
a result of this position can help.
Success Stories • In Texas, Austin Independent School District has a sustainability manager who
implements and tracks programs designed to improve sustainability and reduce
costs by addressing energy use, water conservation, food use, and sustainable
transportation, among other issues.
• Denver Public Schools has a sustainability team that includes a sustainability

director, project and energy efficiency specialist, and school garden program
specialist, among other positions. The sustainability team works with students
and educators to conserve energy and water and reduce waste.
• The Center for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council runs the
School Sustainability Leaders Network which provides fellowships, support,
and learning opportunities for school or district staff whose roles include a focus
on sustainability efforts.
TEACHER PREPARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABILITY
Teacher preparation programs educate future teachers before they enter the workforce. These programs
include a range of requirements which differ by state and are aligned to teacher certification and licensure.
Teacher preparation programs that include climate change and sustainability can help ensure that new
teachers have the knowledge and skills they need to teach about climate change.
Benefits • Increases teacher knowledge of climate change and how it can be incorporated
across the curriculum and across all grades.
• Improves educators' comfort with teaching about climate change and

sustainability from the beginning of their careers.
Addressing Barriers • Building the capacity of teacher preparation programs to integrate climate
change and sustainability can be a barrier. Identifying opportunities to partner
with sustainability schools or existing programs with climate change education
expertise can increase capacity for teacher preparation programs.
Success Stories • The Center for Sustainable Futures at Teachers College, Columbia University
supports several courses related to teaching about sustainability and the
environment for students in education-related graduate programs. The center
also provides professional development programs for in-service teachers.
VIRTUAL LEARNING PLANS

Plans for virtual learning allow schools to more easily continue teaching and learning even during extreme
weather conditions and help schools be more resilient when extreme weather forces school buildings to close.
Benefits • Supports academic continuity when schools must close due to climate impacts
or other emergencies.
Addressing Barriers • Access to the internet and digital devices at home can be a barrier to virtual
learning. Schools can work with local governments, businesses, and community-
based organizations to promote existing programs that affordably expand access
to the internet and devices.
• Educator and parent/caregiver comfort with online platforms and digital devices
can be a barrier to supporting virtual learning. Providing resources and training to
educators and parents/caregivers can help increase support.
Success Stories • Many districts have developed robust virtual learning plans as a result of the
pandemic, including options that allow a return to virtual or hybrid learning when
needed. In Ohio, Cleveland Metropolitan School District partnered with a local
non-profit to distribute 17,000 digital devices to students and install thousands of
hotspots in the community at a reduced cost.

Citations for Mitigation
1. National Center for Education Statistics, “Educational Institutions,” 13. Generation180, “Brighter Future: A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools,”
Digest of Education Statistics, 2019 (NCES 2021-009), accessed September 2020, https://generation180.org/brighter-future-2020/;
August 17, 2021, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=84 The report considers solar schools to be those with operational solar
2. National Center for Education Statistics, “Back to school statistics,” installations above 1 kW that were installed prior to the year 2020
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September 2021

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 1

For all inquiries, please contact:

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 2

Naina Agrawal-Hardin Megan Bang

Vic Barrett Representative Carlos Curbelo

Linda Darling-Hammond Debra Duardo

Lisa Hoyos Richard Knoeppel

Dan Lashof Jack Markell, emeritus

Pedro Martinez Marc Morial

Janet Murguía Kiera O’Brien

Nikki Pitre Becky Pringle

Carla Thompson Payton Pedro Rivera

Valerie Rockefeller Randi Weingarten

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 3

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 4

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 5

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 6

SPECIFICALLY, WE RECOMMEND LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL POLICYMAKERS:

Recommendation 2: Develop and implement comprehensive local K-12 climate action

2.1: Support mitigation strategies to transition to clean energy, clean transportation,

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 7

1.1: Integrate education in plans to address climate change.

Recommendation 2: Support the development and implementation of comprehensive

Recommendation 3: Advance state-level programs and policies to support mitigation,

Recommendation 4: Advance state-level programs and policies to support education.

4.1: Integrate climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability in standards

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 8

1.1: Build cross-agency collaboration to support the education sector

Recommendation 2: Support the development and implementation of comprehensive

Recommendation 3: Advance federal policies and programs to support mitigation,

Recommendation 4: Advance federal policies and programs to support education.

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 9

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 10

■ For this vision to happen, we believe in ten years:

■ For this vision to happen, policymakers and stakeholders will need

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 12

Over the past year, we held a listening tour to

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 13

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 14

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 15

of solar energy, other renewable energy sources,

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 16

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 17

*Some materials, such as paper and aluminum, are easier to recycle

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 20

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 21

Climate change is leading to an increase in the

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 23

EXTREME WEATHER AND

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 25

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 26

BRIGHT SPOTS WHAT WE’VE HEARD

In Santa Barbara Unified School Laura Capps, a school board member

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 27

WHAT WE’VE HEARD

In Chicago, a partnership between

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 28

Public Support for Climate Change Education

Climate Action Plan-2021 | 29