ED 2021 CAP Plan 

1 

US Department of Education

Climate Adaptation Plan

September 2021

Version 3.0
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

2 

Table of Contents

Executive Summary ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

Mission -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3

U.S. Department of Education Policy Statement on Climate Change Adaptation -------------------------- 4

Agency Responsibility----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Identified Climate Change Risks to ED Mission --------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

Priority Adaptation Actions------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

Priority Adaptation #1: Leadership and Public Engagement----------------------------------------------------- 8

Priority Adaptation #2: Policy, Guidance, and Programs--------------------------------------------------------10

Priority Adaptation #3: Technical Assistance-----------------------------------------------------------------------12

Topic 1: Update Climate Vulnerability Assessments--------------------------------------------------------------15

Topic 2: Efforts to Enhance Climate Literacy in Its Management Workforce -------------------------------15

Topic 3A: Agency Actions to Enhance Climate Resilience (Climate-Ready Sites and Facilities)---------16

Topic 3B: Enhance Climate Resilience (Climate-Ready Supply of Products and Services) ---------------18

Document Revisions 

Author(s) Version Description Date(s)

Cheryl Holt 1.0 Initial Development (DRAFT) 5/27/2021 

Andrea Falken 2.0 2nd Draft 7/19/2021 

OFO/ OCO 3.0 ED Clearance and DoD comments 

incorporated 

8/5/2021 

OFO 3.0 OMB comments incorporated 8/24/2021
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

3

Executive Summary 

The mission of the U.S. Department of Education (Department or ED) is to promote student 

achievement and preparation for global competitiveness. Fulfilling this mission requires that we 

confront the rapidly changing climate, its impact on students, educators, and infrastructure, as well 

as its implications for the future world in which the United States competes. 

The Department’s vision for enhancing resilience in the face of the challenges presented by climate 

change, in response to E.O. 14008, includes leadership to support educator, parent, and student 

communities that are climate literate and prepared to act in support of climate change mitigation 

and adaptation, with a particular emphasis on equity. This vision will continue to develop through 

collaboration with other Federal, state, and local educational agencies as well as non-governmental 

organizations.

The Department’s actions must also include supporting the resilience of state and local educational 

agencies, schools, and institutions of higher education. This work will emphasize the relationship 

between climate and equity, particularly equitable access to safe, healthy, sustainable, and resilient 

21st century learning environments. This 2021 Climate Adaptation Plan provides a framework to 

integrate adaptation into management decisions and operations and identifies new opportunities to 

inform a management, leadership, and policy response based on the identified effects of climate 

change now and in the future. This Plan is a living document and will be updated as necessary. 

Mission 

ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by 

fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. It does this by: 

1. Strengthening the Federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunities

for every individual; 

2. Supplementing and complementing the efforts of states, local school systems and other 

instrumentalities of states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational 

research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the 

quality of education, while encouraging the increased involvement of the public, parents, and 

students in Federal education programs;

3. Promoting improvements in the quality and usefulness of education through Federally 

supported research, evaluation, and sharing of information; 

4. Improving the coordination of Federal education programs; 

5. Improving the management of Federal education activities; and 

6. Increasing the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the Congress, 

and the public. 

The Department’s FY 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Plan articulated the potential for climate 

change to affect the Department’s mission. 

“Climate change could have an effect on the Department’s overall mission of promoting 

student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness. Climate change could have 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

4

an effect on the Department’s ability to ensure equal access to educational opportunity for 

every individual. Climate change could have an effect on the Department’s efforts to 

supplement and complement the efforts of states, local school systems, and other 

instrumentalities of the states.” 

With this FY 2021 Climate Adaptation Plan, the Department acknowledges that climate change is 

affecting the Department’s mission and the need for comprehensive and urgent action to promote 

adaptation and resilience through the Department’s programs and operations. 

Past ED sustainability action plans, climate change adaptation plans, and environmental justice plans 

were designed to bring ED into this work.

1 This plan builds upon the lessons learned from those 

earlier plans to offer new actions that the Department can undertake to better adapt to climate 

change and develop both agency resilience as well as resilience across the nation’s schools. 

U.S. Department of Education Policy Statement on Climate Change Adaptation 

I. Background: 

a) In 2020, the United States experienced a record-breaking 22 natural disasters that each 

resulted in at least $1 billion in damages, including a record 7 linked to landfalling hurricanes 

or tropical storms. As these extreme weather events experienced across the United States 

have shown, climate change is affecting communities, school districts, and institutions of 

higher education. Moreover, certain disadvantaged communities bear disproportionately high 

and adverse human health, environmental, and climate-related impacts.2 Climate change 

adaptation is a critical complement to mitigation; both are required to address the causes and 

consequences of climate change. 

b) Adaptation planning will allow the Department to minimize negative impacts of climate 

change that are already occurring and take advantage of any new science or technologies that 

may mitigate or moderate climate change in its operations. Furthermore, through its example, 

the Department can reinforce the importance of climate adaptation planning to states,

districts, schools, and institutions of higher education. 

c) Through adaptation planning, the Department will deepen its understanding of how climate 

change is impacting its ability to operate its facilities and meet its policy and program 

objectives. Through adaptation planning, the Department will develop, prioritize, implement, 

and evaluate actions to moderate climate change risks and explore new potential 

opportunities that are consistent with the Department’s mission and the changing world 

around us. 

d) By integrating climate change adaptation strategies into our programs and operations, the 

Department better ensures that taxpayer resources are invested wisely, and Department 

services and operations respond effectively to current and future climate conditions. 

e) Through climate adaptation planning, the Department is contributing to the Federal 

Government’s leadership role in sustainability and pursuing the vision of a resilient, healthy, 

just, and prosperous nation in the face of a changing climate. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

5

II. Directive: 

a) The goal of this policy is to ensure that the Department:

i. executes and adapts its mission and operations securely, effectively, and efficiently as 

the climate continues to change, 

ii. exhibits leadership in the areas of climate adaptation planning, 

iii. advances educational equity and justice in the context of climate adaptation, and 

iv. complies with E.O. 14008, which directs agencies to take action to address the climate 

crisis at home and abroad.

b) This policy reaffirms the need to integrate climate change adaptation planning and actions 

into Department programs, policies, and operations. 

c) The Department shall take on climate change adaptation planning and action measures 

making use of the best available data and information.

d) The Department shall develop and publish a Department-wide climate adaptation plan no 

later than September 2021. The plan shall include consideration of each of the Department’s 

Principal Offices, as appropriate, and incorporate this policy statement. The plan will identify 

how climate change is impacting the Department’s ability to achieve its mission, effectively 

operate its programs, promulgate effective policies, and manage its operations. The plan will 

identify priority adaptation actions and establish mechanisms to evaluate progress toward 

continually improving the Department’s capacity to effectively adapt to current and future 

changes in the climate. The Department shall produce progress reports on the status of 

implementation efforts. The Department shall make progress reports public and post them on 

the Department’s website, to the extent consistent with applicable law.

e) The Department shall fully consider the Interim Instructions for Preparing Draft Climate Action 

Plans issued by the White House Council on Environmental Quality under Executive Order 

14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and other applicable authorities. 

f) The Department shall, in a manner consistent and compatible with its mission, analyze how 

climate change and environmental justice are impacting its ability to achieve its mission, 

promulgate effective policy, operate its programs, and meet its operational objectives by 

reviewing existing programs, operations, policies, and authorities to: (1) identify potential 

impacts of climate change and environmental justice on Principal Office areas of 

responsibility; (2) prioritize and plan for implementation of response actions; and (3) assess 

and improve capacity to adapt to current and future changes in the climate and advance 

environmental justice. 

g) In particular, the Department shall: 1) leverage its leadership to inform the education sector in 

promoting climate adaptation; and 2) consider appropriate inclusion of climate change 

vulnerabilities, impacts, and adaptation strategies in policies, programs, guidance, technical 

assistance, and data initiatives. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

6 

The Department will coordinate with other agencies and interagency efforts, including the National 

Climate Task Force and the Environmental Justice Interagency Council, on climate change adaptation 

and environmental justice issues that cut across agency missions, including areas where national 

adaptation plans are being or have been developed, and will identify a process for sharing climate 

change adaptation planning information throughout the Department and with the public. 

III. Department Coordination and Implementation 

a) The Deputy Secretary is responsible for ensuring implementation of all aspects of this policy. 

This policy does not alter or affect any existing duty or authority of individual components or 

Principal Offices. 

b) The Department Climate Change Adaptation Work Group will coordinate Department-wide 

climate change adaptation planning and implementation. The Work Group will be chaired by 

the Deputy Secretary and will include representation from Principal Offices, as appropriate. 

c) This policy is effective immediately and will remain in effect until it is amended, superseded, 

or revoked. 

 

___________________________________ Date: 09/09/2021

 Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D.

Agency Responsibility 

The Chief Adaptation Officer for the U.S. Department of Education is the Deputy Secretary. The 

Deputy Secretary is responsible for ensuring implementation of all aspects of the Climate Adaptation 

Plan and associated laws, guidance, and policies. As such, the Chief Adaptation Officer has been given 

authority to review the laws, establish program responsibilities, monitor climate change adaptation 

actions, evaluate the need to adjust activities as new information becomes available, and review and 

update the climate plan. The Climate Change Adaptation Work Group will collaborate with internal 

and external stakeholders to evaluate programs and operations related to this plan, as appropriate. 

Identified Climate Change Risks to ED Mission

The Fourth National Climate Assessment details a range of climate change impacts that affect the 

Department’s ability to carry out its missions, operations, and programs.1 Major climate change 

events include flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, extreme heat, extreme cold, wildfires, and drought. 

1 USG CRP, 2018: Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume II 

[Reidmiller, D.R., C.W. Avery, D.R. Easterling, K.E. Kunkel, K.L.M. Lewis, T.K. Maycock, and B.C. Stewart (eds.)]. U.S. Global 

Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, 1515 pp. doi: 10.7930/NCA4.2018. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

7

In 2020, the United States experienced a record $22 billion in damage from weather and climate 

disasters.2

Climate change is impacting students, schools, and communities across the country. In California, in 

the 2018-2019 school year, more than 1 million students were impacted by school closures due to 

wildfires.3 After Hurricanes Maria and Irma in Puerto Rico, students missed an average of 78 days of 

school.4 Reporting in 2017 found that 6,353 schools serving 4 million children are in a floodplain.5 As 

just one example, flooding in West Virginia in June 2016 caused $130 million in damage to schools.6

Climate change impacts on students, families, schools, and communities across the country are 

present, severe, and worsening. Pathways through which climate change affects student 

achievement include school closures due to extreme weather or unsafe conditions, poor 

environmental conditions within schools that impede learning, students’ own personal health and 

safety, increased social and emotional anxiety related to climate change and extreme weather 

events, and increased migration and economic disruption for households and communities.

Students and schools in certain disadvantaged communities are particularly exposed to climate 

change impacts. The Fourth National Climate Assessment lays out a clear nexus between equity and 

climate change: “People who are already vulnerable, including lower-income and other marginalized 

communities, have lower capacity to prepare for and cope with extreme weather and climate-related 

events and are expected to experience greater impacts. Prioritizing adaptation actions for the most 

vulnerable populations would contribute to a more equitable future within and across communities.” 

Schools with higher enrollment of low-income students are far more likely to have permanent 

buildings that are in poor or only fair condition than other schools.7 According to the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), aging buildings are particularly vulnerable to natural 

disasters.8 Students’ performance is negatively affected by elevated temperatures in classrooms, 

and extreme heat days are responsible for school closures where facilities are not equipped with airconditioning.9

2 Record number of billion-dollar disasters struck U.S. in 2020 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(noaa.gov) 3 See Disaster Days by CalMatters and the CA Department of Education. Available at: 

https://disasterdays.calmatters.org/california-school-closures 4 Average Puerto Rican Student Missed 78 Days of School After Maria, Study Finds (edweek.org)

5 Urahn, S.K. and Wathen, T. (2017) “Flooding Threatens Public Schools Across the Country: Infrastructure analysis 

evaluates county-level flood risk” The PEW Charitable Trusts. Available at: https://www.pewtrusts.org/-

/media/assets/2017/08/fpc_flooding_threatens_public_schools_across_the_country.pdf

6 The Intelligencer (2019) “West Virginia Lawmakers Quickly OK Flood Cost Bill” September 20. Available at: 

https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/top-headlines/2016/09/west%E2%80%88virginia-lawmakers-quickly-ok-floodcostbill/ 7 Debbie Alexander & Laurie Lewis (2014). Condition of America’s Public School Facilities: 2012–13, NCES 2014-022, U.S. 

Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Available at: 

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014022.pdf

8 FEMA (2017) “Safer, Stronger, Smarter: A Guide to Improving School Natural Hazard Safety” June. Available at: 

https://preparecenter.org/sites/default/files/natural_hazards_school_safety.pdf 9 Greenberg, Zoe (2018) “Is the Heat Day the New Snow Day?” The New York Times, September 6. Available at:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/nyregion/heat-day-schools-extreme-climate-change.html 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

8

Evidence suggests that hot weather days disproportionately affect students of color and are 

responsible for approximately 5% of the racial achievement gap.10 Beyond navigating and responding 

to the physical impacts of climate change, the Department must respond to the changing set of skills 

and mindsets required to prepare the people of today to live sustainably and thrive in a rapidly 

changing climate. All students deserve to attend sustainable schools that enhance their health and 

wellness, prepare them for 21st century careers, and support a thriving planet. The Department’s 

Climate Adaptation Plan looks to implement strategies that put the nation on the path toward 

sustainable, healthy, resilient, and equitable learning environments.

Priority Adaptation Actions

Priority Adaptation #1: Leadership and Public Engagement 

Description

[Existing Effort] Leverage ED leadership to activate the education sector in promoting climate 

adaptation, environmental and sustainability literacy, and environmental justice. 

Goal

Help educators, students, and parents to understand and adopt ways to combat climate change 

through the education system. 

Agency Lead

Office of the Deputy Secretary and Office of Communications and Outreach (OCO). 

Opportunities 

• Embrace the role of education in the climate emergency and inspire others to do the same.

• Elevate the connections between education and climate adaptation and the opportunities for

addressing climate change adaptation within the education sector.

• Leverage expertise and a track record of leadership related to sustainable schools within the 

Department. 

• Leverage OCO’s expertise in sustainable schools from developing and overseeing the existing 

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition award. (This 

program also provides ED with some state education agency contacts related to infrastructure 

and environmental learning and examples of success to highlight in messaging.)

• Develop staff knowledge and the familiarity of ED staff with climate change concepts so the 

agency is prepared and able to embark on this work. 

10 Park, R. Jisung, Joshua Goodman, Michael Hurwitz, and Jonathan Smith. 2020. "Heat and Learning." American Economic 

Journal: Economic Policy, 12 (2): 306-39.
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

9

Risks 

The education community may not see a direct connection between this issue and providing 

educational opportunity to all students.

Scale - National

Timeframe - Ongoing public outreach and engagement events.

Implementation Methods 

• Consistently communicate the importance of climate adaptation and mitigation.

• Conduct regular visits to sustainable and resilient schools.

• Support Federal, state, and local efforts related to sustainable and resilient schools.

• Conduct self-assessments to align climate vulnerability assessments with disaster planning, 

COOP planning, and ED publication standards. (The review process will include the 

collaboration of leadership across ED.) 

Performance 

• Media coverage promoting ED efforts to support and promote sustainable, resilient schools.

• Growth in applications to the ED-Green Ribbon Schools recognition award.

• Participation in environment, sustainability, and climate related events by senior leadership.

Intergovernmental Coordination 

ED will work with the White House as well as other Federal agencies to coordinate and support 

efforts related to climate adaptation and mitigation. ED will work with the General Services 

Administration (GSA) to identify the vulnerabilities in each of the buildings and/or regions in its 

leased portfolio. This collaboration will assist ED to develop informed responses to disasters with the 

goal to minimize the impact to operations, address potential problems before they occur, create 

redundancy in critical systems or sites, and identify projects to increase the use of sustainable 

products or services. 

Resource Implications 

ED could leverage existing staff knowledge and pro bono technical assistance from stakeholders. 

Travel funds would not likely exceed what is normally required of the Office of the Secretary and 

OCO, and some gift travel is available in this area with outside entities offering to cover the cost of 

travel.

Challenges/Further Considerations 

Balancing these issues with other pressing demands related to reopening schools and managing the 

ongoing pandemic.
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

10

Highlights of Accomplishments to Date 

• The Secretary and Deputy Secretary are engaged in public discussions regarding climate and 

sustainable, healthy schools. Their efforts are leading to a broader focus within the agency.

• ED leadership has played a visible and supportive role for schools and communities 

experiencing negative impacts from climate change. 

• ED-GRS for more than 10 years has highlighted the practices of schools, districts, and 

postsecondary institutions making efficiency, conservation, health, and environmental 

education a priority.

Priority Adaptation #2: Policy, Guidance, and Programs 

Description 

[New Action] Imbue agency guidance, policies, and program design with an understanding of climate 

change vulnerabilities, impacts, and adaptation strategies. 

Goal 

The Department’s guidance, policies, and program designs promote climate adaptation, 

environmental and sustainability literacy, and equitable access to healthy, safe, sustainable, resilient, 

21st century learning environments (environmental justice). 

Lead 

Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development in partnership with grantmaking or policy 

offices (e.g., Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of English Language Acquisition, 

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of 

Career, Technical, and Adult Education, and Office for Civil Rights). 

Opportunities 

• ED’s policy, guidance, and programs inform and support states, districts, schools, institutions 

of higher education, and other partners in the private and nonprofit sectors.

• This work supports the climate change commitments of the Biden Administration (e.g., 

greenhouse gas emission reductions, Justice40 initiative). 

• There is a robust and growing community of supportive advocates for climate change work in 

states and nongovernmental organizations who will welcome and could provide pro bono 

technical assistance and feedback on this effort.

• ED will begin to improve climate literacy among a broad range of agency staff, so the agency is 

prepared and able to embark on this work. Due to the multidisciplinary nature of the work, 

ED will need to identify and collaborate with appropriate partners.

• The White House Council on Environmental Quality, the National Climate Taskforce, and the 

Office of the National Climate Advisor represent knowledgeable allies. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

11

 Risks 

• ED has only a handful of small grant programs that fund school infrastructure or relate directly 

to climate change.

Scale: National 

Timeframe: Immediate start and aligned with climate adaptation by FY 2025.

Implementation Methods 

• Initiate agency effort to enhance climate literacy in its management workforce (Topic Area 2).

• Hold stakeholder meetings to immediately identify high-leverage opportunities to update 

guidance, technical assistance, and other policies. 

• Develop policies and procedures to consistently apply a climate adaptation lens to the 

agency’s guidance and policies. 

• Develop the knowledge and familiarity of ED staff with climate change concepts so the agency 

is prepared and able to embark on this work. 

Performance 

• The Office of Human Resources will develop a strategy and execute a plan to enhance climate 

literacy and capacity related to climate change adaptation within ED.

• New processes will reflect the intention of the agency to consistently and appropriately 

incorporate climate change into guidance, policies, and programs.

• Guidance and requirements for existing programs will be reviewed and updated to 

appropriately incorporate environmental and sustainability literacy.

• ED will collect feedback from stakeholders to inform actions. 

Intergovernmental Coordination 

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the work, ED will benefit from ongoing communication with 

knowledgeable individuals and teams at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, 

Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, Department 

of Agriculture, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.

Resource Implications 

A time commitment of existing ED employees to consider guidance, policies, and programs with a 

climate lens. Possible hiring of new expertise or training of existing employees in these areas. 

Challenges/Further Considerations 

• Effective design and implementation of agency human capital development programs to 

increase climate literacy will be essential to enable and support this work throughout the 

agency. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

12

• The President’s American Jobs Plan proposal would provide $112 billion to modernize K-12 

schools and institutions of higher education, which would require ED to develop new policies 

and guidance, where appropriate.

Highlights of Accomplishments to Date 

• Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, ED has assisted state educational agencies, local 

educational agencies, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in post-disaster related 

activities through programs supported through emergency appropriations, including 

emergency aid to IHEs and schools, and through Project School Emergency Response to 

Violence (Project SERV), which is funded annually. School closures due to major disasters 

disrupt educational opportunities for students, and the Department has partnered with states, 

schools, and institutions of higher education to support their recovery. 

• Another example is the Department of Education Disaster Recovery Unit, which provides 

resources to K-12 and higher education communities following natural disasters, such as the 

Texas ice storm of 2021 and wildfires in 2020 and 2021. 

Priority Adaptation #3: Technical Assistance 

Description 

[New Action] Enhance the capabilities and knowledge of the Department related to climate 

adaptation in educational settings. 

Goal 

Address the needs of state and local educational agencies for specialized knowledge related to 

climate adaptation strategies.

Agency Lead 

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Office of Career, 

Technical, and Adult Education, with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). 

Opportunities 

• Schools are currently experiencing the impacts of climate change and require adaptation to 

enhance resilience. In other words, there is an urgent need for specialized knowledge related 

to climate change adaptation in schools. ED has an opportunity (and responsibility) to develop 

capacity related to this existential challenge facing schools and communities.

• Climate change vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies vary based on geography (i.e., 

climate change adaptation in the Northeast region differs from climate change adaptation in 

the Southwest region). ED has an opportunity to build capacity related to specific adaptation 

strategies for schools in different geographies. 

• Leading states have accumulated experience and expertise related to climate literacy. This 

capacity may be leveraged to share examples from across the country for consideration by 

state and local leaders. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

13

• Building on the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award and 

Green Strides School Sustainability Resource Hub, ED will increase its capacity to support 

states, districts, schools, and institutions of higher education by disseminating resources 

related to school facilities and climate education. 

• ED will explore which current ED-funded technical assistance providers are positioned and 

suited to provide technical assistance to states, districts, schools, and institutions of higher

education regarding climate adaptation strategies. 

Risks 

• ED’s technical assistance centers would need to incorporate work related to climate 

adaptation within existing responsibilities. 

Scale – National 

Timeframe – Beginning in 2022 and Ongoing 

Implementation Methods

• Assess current capacity within ED to provide technical assistance to address the needs of 

states and local educational agencies (LEAs) within their geographies. 

• Develop new partnerships with technical assistance providers to enhance support for states 

and LEAs. 

• Explore opportunities to enhance data efforts within IES, along with other evidence-building 

partners within and beyond the Department, to inform climate adaptation work and the 

promotion of equitable access to healthy, safe, sustainable, resilient, 21st century learning 

environments (environmental justice). 

• Develop a plan to leverage and enhance existing capacity within the Department.

• Leverage the Green Ribbon Schools recognition award and the Green Strides School 

Sustainability Resource Hub to provide technical assistance more broadly.

• Develop Dear Colleague Letters with recommendations and resources for states and districts 

related to climate change adaptation and literacy.

• Review existing National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) mapping projects to evaluate

them for superimposition with data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and Energy Information 

Administration (EIA) to form the basis for monitoring environmental conditions.

Performance Measures

• ED has developed a strategy for internal capacity-building related to education and climate 

change. 

• ED has identified and developed partnerships with relevant bodies (including other Federal 

agencies, state agencies, research organizations, and other nongovernmental organizations) 

to complement and enrich ED expertise. 

• ED has issued research, reports, newsletters, and/or other work products related to climate 

change. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

14

• Other Federal agencies, state and local education agencies, schools, and other stakeholders 

see ED as a resource at the intersection of climate change and education. 

Intergovernmental Coordination 

• ED will coordinate with the Departments of Energy, Labor, Transportation, and Agriculture to 

understand emerging workforce development needs, as well as technical subject matter 

expertise related to climate adaptation, transportation, and agriculture sectors. 

• Coordination with NOAA will provide subject matter expertise on climate change 

vulnerabilities, current and forecasted. 

• Coordination with FEMA will inform technical assistance related to pre-disaster mitigation 

activities as well as post-disaster recovery. 

• Coordination with EPA will inform environmental conditions affecting students and potential 

regulatory matters. 

Resource Implications 

A time commitment of existing ED employees to consider guidance, policies, and programs with

climate considerations in mind. 

Highlights of Accomplishments to Date

• Developed the Green Strides School Sustainability Resource Hub in coordination with the 

Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. 

• Provided emergency/disaster-related responses and support for impacted states and districts. 

(Since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, ED has assisted state educational agencies (SEAs) 

and LEAs in post-disaster related activities through programs supported through emergency 

appropriations, including emergency aid to restart schools, and through Project SERV, which is 

funded annually. School closures due to major disasters disrupt educational opportunities for 

students, and the Department has partnered with states, schools, and institutions of higher 

education to support their recovery. Under the Readiness and Emergency Management for 

Schools (REMS) program, the Department provided grant funding to support efforts by LEAs to 

create, strengthen, and improve emergency management plans at the district and schoolbuilding levels, including training school personnel on emergency management procedures; 

communicating with parents about emergency plans and procedures; and coordinating with 

local law enforcement, public safety or emergency management, public health, mental health 

agencies, and local government. Grant funds could be used for: reviewing and revising 

emergency management plans; training school staff; conducting building and facilities audits; 

communicating emergency response policies to parents and guardians; implementing the 

National Incident Management System (NIMS); developing an infectious disease plan; 

developing or revising food defense plans; purchasing school safety equipment (to a limited 

extent); conducting drills and tabletop simulation exercises; and preparing and distributing 

copies of emergency management plans. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

15

TOPIC AREAS 

Topic 1: Update Climate Vulnerability Assessments

While ED has not yet updated its vulnerability assessment, building on prior adaptation actions and 

climate vulnerability assessments outlined in the FY 2012 ED Climate Change Adaptation Plan and 

subsequent internal working groups, ED will update the agency’s most recent assessment using the 

latest climate information included or referenced in the Fourth National Climate Assessment. This 

update will begin with identifying and assessing five vulnerabilities directly tied to management 

functions and decision points for managing procurement, real property, and financial programs as 

suggested by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). 

These vulnerability assessments will include descriptions of 1) the climate threat and the expected 

impact, including the impact of no action; 2) the determined adaptation action, including the known 

barriers to implementation; 3) an estimate of the timeline and any measures for indicating progress 

over time and success; 4) a determination if managing the risk and overcoming the barrier are

achievable within existing agency resources or consistent with the agency’s budget request; and 5)

identification of how the vulnerability either is or will be disclosed in annual agency financial 

reporting and integrated into the agency’s enterprise risk management process.

ED will update its Guide to School Vulnerability Assessments11 to include updated climate change 

information and resources provided by the US Global Change Research Program and the Fourth 

National Climate Assessment. The guide describes the key elements to be considered when selecting 

an assessment tool appropriate for school environments and provides guidance for conducting an 

assessment that will inform school emergency management activities.

Topic 2: Efforts to Enhance Climate Literacy in Its Management Workforce

The Department is considering the following efforts to enhance climate literacy: 

• Develop ED employee rewards and recognition programming for leadership in climate 

adaptation, resilience, and sustainability. 

• Launch climate literacy education and communications programs to mainstream adaptation 

actions and integrate adaptation actions into the management of programs and operations. 

• Update its Human Capital Operating Plan (HCOP) to ensure agency capacity to bring climate 

adaptation and resilience leadership to agency programming and operations. 

• Establish major key milestone date(s) in 2022 to initiate efforts to create the learning 

platform.

• Engage and leverage the work of other government agencies and nonprofits that have 

developed tools for climate literacy that will benefit ED’s employees. 

• Use an incremental approach to pilot classes among a select group of managers in the agency 

for the purpose of obtaining feedback, applying lessons learned, and addressing challenges.

11 https://rems.ed.gov/docs/Guide_for_Developing_HighQuality_School_Emergency_Operations_PlansResources07172013R.pdf 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

16

• Develop the action plan to roll out the training to every manager and ultimately to every 

employee once the trial period has ended.

Topic 3A: Agency Actions to Enhance Climate Resilience (Climate-Ready Sites and Facilities) 

ED leases all its facilities and, therefore, does not have control over many of the factors that go into 

climate-ready sites and facilities. ED will work with GSA in its modernization and lease renewal 

process to ensure/enhance climate adaptation. Agency actions to enhance climate-ready sites and 

facilities will build on previous success in the ED Space Modernization Program (ESMP), Federal Real 

Property Portfolio Programs, and ED-GRS recognition award. ED will review current programs and 

initiatives and update all programming requirements, standards, and criteria. This information will 

support a determination of whether and how adaptation criteria and requirements are integrated 

into management functions and decision points for these processes. ED will also develop criteria to 

advance the equitable distribution of environmental risks and benefits and to avoid maladaptation 

(i.e., increasing the environmental burden on vulnerable communities) in accordance with E.O 13985 

and E.O. 14008. 

The ESMP is continuously working to reduce ED’s footprint and implement facility space initiatives to 

meet this goal. In conjunction with GSA, ESMP requires compliance with standards in construction and 

furniture procurements to build high-performance sustainable office space. This effort begins with 

design practices, construction, and building operations, to protect occupants’ health, wellness, and 

productivity. ED is committed to meet or exceed Executive Order 13834, Planning for Federal 

Sustainability in the Next Decade, to achieve a more sustainable design for its newly modernized 

office space.

Compliance: Beginning with sustainable acquisition, ED supports GSA in its efforts to ensure that 

applicable contracts contain the appropriate requirements to meet standards set by, but not limited 

to:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)

• US Green Building Council (USBC) 

• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

Construction: LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. GSA and ESMP 

require that all new leases follow LEED as a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving 

green buildings. Contractors must submit product data as official Environmental Requirements 

Declarations (EPD) and Health Product Declarations (HPD).

All products and services purchased by GSA, and used in ED facilities, must meet strict sustainability 

requirements including:

• Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

• Indoor Water Use reduction (plumbing and appliances)

• Chain of Custody (transport/shipping/flow of materials)

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) (point of harvest/extraction/recovery)
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

17

• Waste management (divert construction debris from landfills and incinerators) 

• Low Emitting Diodes (LED) fixtures with automatic lighting controls 

• Building Monitoring & Controls (BMC) for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

Furnishings, Fixtures, and Equipment: Additionally, ED’s Contract Acquisition Management (CAM) 

group and GSA’s Integrated Workplace Acquisition Center (IWAC) have established Blanket Purchase 

Agreements (BPAs) for Furnishings, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E). Only environmentally responsible 

products, which support ED’s commitment to conserving materials and natural resources and use

clean technologies in manufacturing processes and achieve certifications from third-party 

organizations such as those listed below, will be procured or allowed in ED facilities.

• Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) certification

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

• GREENGUARD Environmental Institute

• Cradle to Cradle Certified

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001

• SCS Indoor Advantage Gold

• MTS, a SMaRT Certification

Real Estate Portfolio: ED is a tenant in all the buildings it occupies, and energy, water, and waste 

management services are all included in its leases and thus paid by GSA. However, working with GSA, 

through the ESMP, ED is 1) reducing the size and number of leased locations; 2) redesigning spaces to 

support different work patterns and activities, including innovative space layouts, increased natural 

lighting, and enhanced technology integration; and 3) meeting OMB guidelines to achieve an average 

of 150-180 useable square feet per person. Below are highlights of recent ESMP Projects: 

• ED’s strategic priorities are currently focused on the Headquarters Consolidation Project,

which includes increasing the density and modernizing the Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) 

Headquarters (HQ) Building and Potomac Center Plaza (PCP) to vacate 216,600 square feet of 

space at Union Center Plaza by 2026.

• The ED Dallas relocation project was completed in 2021, with a 50% reduction in square 

footage. New York and Philadelphia relocation projects will also lower the agency’s overall 

environmental impact. New York will have a 38% reduction in square footage in FY 2023, and 

Philadelphia will have a 30% reduction in square footage in FY 2024. 

• As a result of heavy teleworking in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic, ED recognized 

the opportunity to support a long-term teleworking plan and continue the momentum of 

reducing the size of the portfolio. All remaining ED facilities are undergoing evaluation in FY

2022 for opportunities to save space, cost, and greenhouse (GHG) emissions. 

Other ED initiatives include: 

• The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) will review operational procedures to 

reduce energy usage for IT equipment. One example includes reducing the amount of 

equipment for each user. As the agency implements new telework policies, OCIO will play a 

significant role in designing facilities to incorporate energy efficient printers, monitors, etc., to 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

18

support ED’s workforce and address climate adaptation in technology investments. OCIO 

works closely with ESMP on all new construction and renovation projects in all ED facilities.

• The Office of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary will build infrastructure employing 

strategies/decisions that minimize the impact on future successors’ ability to sustain the 

initiatives, services, or programs that are implemented in response to E.O. 14008. 

An additional consideration for climate-ready sites and facilities is that systems to address 

adaptation, physical infrastructure, and natural environments can be very costly, especially when 

retrofitting existing buildings. Managing expectations appropriately will reduce the risks when 

executing long-term facilities investments. ED leadership will need to support and fund new 

initiatives to meet the objectives of climate adaptation, making projects a priority in capital planning.

The capital planning process is linked to the budget available to support making incremental changes 

to ED’s environments. Each project is evaluated based on merit and the long-term return on 

investment as well as other OMB Directives to reduce the footprint. Although the projects are 

highlighted in the 2020 Sustainability Report and the 2021 Capital Plan, they are interlinked with this 

Climate Action Plan. ED will ensure that there are consistent management decisions and/or review of 

the projects that are still in the planning phases to increase opportunities to address products and 

services that will adapt to climate change objectives. The long-term strategy is to make incremental 

changes in all the buildings to include adding infrastructure for climate resilience and at the same 

time provide co-benefits for the future use of electric vehicles, water stations, and HVAC updates that 

include filtration for harmful bacteria or other contaminants

Highlights of Accomplishments to Date 

• To date, ED has utilized innovative space design and technology enhancements in all new 

renovated space. Wherever possible, lowering operating costs is the focus for each project. 

This is done by increasing natural light flooding the space, lowering panel heights, and using 

glass partitions for additional protection and surfaces that do not dampen light penetration. 

ED also includes touchless fixtures in restrooms and pantries helping to reduce water 

consumption and energy bills. Working with GSA, to date modernization projects have been 

implemented in Chicago and Dallas (regional offices) and two floors in the LBJ and PCP HQ 

buildings. 

• ED has already researched the impact of adding electric charging stations in GSA-owned HQ 

facilities with the objective to start this project in FY 2022. 

Topic 3B: Enhance Climate Resilience (Climate-Ready Supply of Products and Services)

The Office of Acquisitions and Grants Administration is the lead for actions to support a climate-ready 

supply of products and services. ED follows the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) for purchasing 

products and services. This existing effort by ED includes climate change adaptation components in 

grants and contract awards as feasible, consistent with statute and regulations. Contract policies and 

language are updated to mandate GREEN purchasing to the maximum extent practicable for all 

applicable procurements in the planning, award, and execution phases of acquisitions. ED will review 

current programs and initiatives and update programming requirements, standards, and criteria with 

the goal to leverage the Federal Government’s ability to lead by policy and example. 
ED 2021 CAP Plan 

19

ED will develop tools and methods to assist management with decisions that include anticipating 

climate change. Performance will be based on the number of grants awarded and the dollar amount 

of each award to each grantee. ED designs contracts to include GREEN purchasing requirements for 

all new applicable contracts and agreement vehicles, where applicable. 

In terms of ED purchases, the Department will continue to benchmark GREEN purchasing with GSA 

and other agencies of similar size. ED also will continue to meet with national education leaders and

Federal and state governments with the purpose of sharing information about how climate change 

events may be limiting equitable education opportunities and how to address those issues. 

ED will review its supply chain to determine the critical areas that may have an impact on the 

performance of its mission and assess operational resiliency during climate change events. For 

example, operational components may be shifted when regional areas are impacted by extreme heat, 

power outages, or internet outages. These types of events may affect the IT infrastructure, staff 

capabilities to perform duties, school closings, and communities that are served by ED. These 

potential impacts will be included in the Department’s vulnerability assessments to prepare 

management for proactive responses. 

ED’s Contract Management Division may include training on GREEN Procurement for existing contract 

professionals. Position Descriptions for new hires may also be updated, as appropriate, to include 

GREEN purchasing. 

ED will establish an implementation schedule for a climate-ready supply chain that will allow for

incremental review of, and updates to, the GREEN purchasing policies and all grants and contracts. The 

level of effort, particularly in the pandemic environment, is significant. Consideration of the major 

impact on workload to meet these goals is necessary. Management buy-in and clear decisions are also 

necessary to redirect resources appropriately.