ED is committed to promoting equitable access to healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st century learning environments and environmental sustainability learning. Research has demonstrated that modern, well-maintained facilities with healthy indoor environments yield better student performance and health, higher teacher retention, and reduced absenteeism. They also save school districts money. School infrastructure is an essential element of equitable access to learning resources and high-quality learning environments. Similarly, learning and health outcomes improve with access to hands-on, active, outdoors, real-world, problem-, project-, and place-based environmental sustainability education that connects students to STEM and green career pathways. ED promotes school infrastructure and sustainability through multiple communications and outreach tools designed to share best practices and connect schools with partnerships and resources.

      - About
      - Initiatives
      - Commitments
      - Green Strides Tour
      - Resources
      - Reporting
      - Contact Us

## About

### Mission

ED Infrastructure and Sustainability promotes  equitable access to healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st century school facilities,  and environmental sustainability education. 

### Vision

All schools achieve excellence and equity in  school environments through healthy, safe, sustainable facilities and grounds  and hands-on, real-world environmental sustainability learning. 

### Goals

          - Recognize and highlight the  success of schools, districts, postsecondary institutions, and early learning  centers through the  U.S.  Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition award .
          - Disseminate school infrastructure  and sustainability resources, funds, and practices, particularly as they  advance educational and health outcomes, and equity. 
          - Serve as a liaison between school  stakeholders, federal offices, states, and school districts to share resources,  best practices, and develop partnerships for healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st  century school facilities and environmental sustainability education. 
          - Increase the national awareness of  the impacts school infrastructure and sustainability can have on student  health, learning outcomes, teacher retention, and district finances. 
          - Provide ED with internal and  external subject matter expertise and a point of contact on matters related to  school infrastructure and sustainability, working to raise the profile of these  issues at the Department and across the nation.
          - Complete and promote required  federal Environmental  and Sustainability reporting.

## Initiatives

### School Infrastructure Programs

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education manages two grant programs focused on ensuring that school facilities and grounds provide safe, healthy, sustainable, and equitable learning environments: the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure grant and the National Center on School Infrastructure grant. 
          - The  *Supporting America’s School  Infrastructure* grant  awards approximately $40 million to  eligible state entities to increase the capacity of the state to support  high-need school districts to improve school facilities. 
          - The  *National Center on School  Infrastructure* grant  awards approximately $2 million to an  eligible organization to establish a national center on school infrastructure  that will serve as both a clearinghouse of resources and provide technical  assistance to improve public school facilities. 

Find more information on the School Infrastructure Program grants here. 

### U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon  Schools

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a public engagement initiative for school sustainability that is  structured as a federal recognition award. By highlighting schools, districts,  postsecondary institutions, and early learning centers’ cost-saving, health  promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices, ED-GRS  celebrates these institutions and brings more attention to their work.

Recipients of the award are invited to a  ceremony in Washington, D.C. where they receive a plaque; are the subject of  media attention; and have their efforts celebrated. Other schools, in turn,  learn from their practices. In addition to communicating school sustainability  practices, the award uses a small number of honorees each year to share  resources that all schools can employ through its Green Strides School  Sustainability Resource Hub.

The ED-GRS recognition award is not a  certification or benchmarking program, although nominees may use an array of  other programs to demonstrate their progress toward the award’s three Pillars.  Instead, it is a one-time recognition of an institution’s progress in the  award’s three sustainability focused pillars. For this reason, each early  learning center, school, district, or postsecondary institution is only  eligible to receive the award once and the award is accorded in one year only.  The ED-GRS award does not convey federal funding to states, districts, schools,  or IHEs.

## Commitments

### School Infrastructure and Sustainability Commitments

The U.S. Department of Education invites national, regional, and local non-profits, foundations, businesses, and community-based organizations to share your bold commitment(s) to advance school sustainability, encompassing infrastructure, health, environmental education, climate, and environmental justice in America. Complete the online form to share how your organization or entity will advance at least one of these Infrastructure and Sustainability priorities:
          - Priority #1: Ensure equitable access to healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st century physical learning environments.
          - Priority #2: Develop, maintain, and provide environmental sustainability learning, such as climate literacy, green workforce development, and outdoor learning.
          - Priority #3: Build capacity for infrastructure, sustainability, environmental justice, and climate mitigation and adaptation in schools.

We encourage you to address at least one of the following parameters in your commitment submission: Environmental Justice, Health, Climate Action, Capacity Building, Data Collection and Standardization, and Transparency.

*Exemplary National Commitments**
          - Trane  Technologies , as part of the  company’s 2030 Sustainability Commitments, is investing $100 million and  500,000 employee volunteer hours to help diverse students have the resources  and inspiration to create a more sustainable future. 
          - Center for Green Schools at the U.S.  Green Building Council  will build a new knowledge-sharing and professional learning network for school  capital projects leaders in over 50 school districts within two years to  increase the ability for school teams to design and build sustainable schools.  They will also work with school districts around the country to hire  sustainability staff, with a goal of sustainability positions in at least 75 of  the largest 100 school districts.
          - National Environmental Education  Foundation (NEEF) and its partners plan to invest in K-12  environmental education and literacy through annual Greening STEM grants  nationwide. 
          - World Resources Institute  pledges to support an equitable  transition to electric school buses through technical assistance to school  districts; the development of an Electric School Bus Ambassador program; and  application support for federal funding opportunities. 
          - EcoRise  will provide Eco-Audit Grants to fund sustainability  projects in schools across the U.S. which engage students in learning about  sustainable themes, collecting and analyzing data, and designing solutions  based on their community’s needs. EcoRise will also offer diverse student  leaders opportunities for paid school-year and summer green career internships;  connect green professional mentors to classrooms and students; and provide  green career curriculum and professional development to educators.
          - Compass Education  will connect U.S. educators to its  global network of systems change makers to support, mentor, and facilitate  transformational change in education. It will also create and disseminate  free resources for K-12 classrooms to promote systems thinking, collaborative learning,  and sustainability education. 
          - UndauntedK12  will partner with policy makers, agency  leaders, advocates, and local leaders to develop model policies and programs to  realize systemic changes in advancing healthy, resilient, decarbonized schools  in at least two states, while creating tools and resources that support local  education leaders to act on climate throughout the nation. 
          - Children & Nature Network  will expand its network of over 180 co-signing leaders and  partners in the field to update the Green Schoolyards Action Agenda and the  shared vision that “all U.S. communities offer access to green schoolyards by  2050 to enhance children’s healthy development, community wellbeing and  positive environmental impacts.” 
          - This Is Planet Ed at the Aspen Institute  will increase awareness about  opportunities for K-12 schools to leverage funding to reduce their carbon  footprint, adapt to the impacts of climate change, support teaching and  learning about climate solutions, and foster healthy and safe learning  environments for all students. 
          - Green Schools National Network  will support capacity building related to  its GreenPrint for Healthy, Equitable, and Safe Schools.
          - Start: Empowerment  will partner with K-12 schools in  frontline communities to ensure young people have access to the knowledge,  skills, and resources to create change in their community. 
          - The  Green Schools Alliance  will work  collaboratively with schools to provide the tools and resources they need to  make measurable progress towards whole school sustainability. 
          - Sheet  Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association, Sheet Metal, Air,  Rail, and Transportation Workers, and National Energy Management Institute  will assist schools in improving their existing HVAC infrastructure and build  capacity for new HVAC infrastructure while improving energy efficiency,  sustainability, and climate mitigation and adaptation in schools.  
          - Generation180  will provide resources to support K-12  schools in disadvantaged communities in accessing federal funds and incentives  for clean energy, resilience, and clean transportation.
          - SSC  Services for Education  will meet the Cleaning Industry Management Standard Green Building  Certification as part of its standard custodial program offering by 2025.

*Exemplary Regional  Commitments**
          - Green Building Alliance  will unite and lead a network of  like-minded facility professionals and school leaders in Western Pennsylvania  school districts on their journey to reduce carbon emissions by 50-65% by 2030.  This will include a partnership with every school district in the 11 counties  of Western Pennsylvania to offer sustainability training to teach and inspire  facility professionals, find grants, strategize with school professionals, and  support educators and as they advocate for healthier buildings. 
          - California Climate Ready Schools  Coalition  will work with  California state policy makers to develop and implement a policy framework that  will ensure all 11,000 school buildings in the state are healthy, decarbonized,  and climate-resilient. 
          - Nature's Classroom  will offer affordable outdoor education,  with curricula aligned to Massachusetts standards.
          - Rhode Island Environmental Education  Association  plans to promote and  support environmental, sustainability, and climate education in 20% of Rhode  Island schools by providing teacher professional development over 2023-2024  academic year. It will also foster partnerships between at least six high  schools and six community based organizations to develop and implement  environmental, sustainability, and climate education for at least 150  students.
          - Ten Strands  will offer, by spring 2025, thirteen open  education K–12 climate and environmental justice curriculum units that lead  students to take action in their communities. 
          - Climate  Generation  will support Minnesota schools in becoming living  laboratories — places that bring engineering and education together using their  own environment and infrastructure. 

*Exemplary Local Commitments**
          - Climate Parents of Prince George's County  will advocate for the implementation of  the Prince George's County Public Schools (MD) Climate Change Action Plan,  provide community support for PGCPS to achieve the goals in the plan, and share  knowledge and best practices with other community-based organizations that are  striving to achieve similar actions. 
          - Bellingham  Public Schools  (WA) will, by 2028, develop a process to  reduce environmental impacts and improve health and resiliency by balancing  human, environmental, and economic priorities continually and  systematically.
          - Miami-Dade  County Council Parent Teacher Student Association  (FL)  will advance the 100% clean energy by 2030 commitment in Miami-Dade County  Public schools. It will assist other parent, teacher, and student organizations  across Florida to lobby for clean energy in their school districts. 
          - 15  Minute Field Trips  will mentor youth to create and expand  green infrastructure in their neighborhoods and increase after-school  environmental programming in South Providence, RI. 
          - Alliance  for a Better Community (CA)  willdevelop  curriculum to develop and support a cohort of environmental health parent  community leaders in Los Angeles. 

*Commitments  have been edited for brevity. 

## Green Strides Tour

Building upon the outreach and recognition of U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS), the Department, since 2013, has partnered with states to conduct a nearly annual tour of ED-GRS honorees. The Green Strides Tour is designed to generate press, public awareness, and celebration of the ED-GRS honorees by highlighting their innovative whole school sustainability practices. Participants include federal and state officials, local policymakers, and other community partners. The events are generally open to the press and public by registration.

### Previous Green Strides Tours

Since 2013, the Green Strides Tour has spotlighted more than 200 school sites in over 20 states, including:  2023: “Schools for Climate  Solutions” in Northern and Central California  2021: “Green Strides for All:  Sustainable Schools to Advance Equity” in North  Carolina  2019: “Whole Child, Whole School  Sustainability” in Washington  2018: “Living School Grounds” in  Missouri  2017: “Taking Learning  Outside” in Georgia  2016: “Real World  Learning” in Pennsylvania  2014: “Healthy Schools,  High-Achieving Students,” visiting Colorado,  Florida, Minnesota, Maryland, Kentucky,  and West Virginia  2013: “Education Built to  Last,” visiting Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California,  Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and Alabama

## Resources

### Infrastructure and Sustainability Notes

With this publication series, ED highlights key concepts and practices of schools across the nation. These brief publications provide an introduction and synthesis so that all school communities are informed about infrastructure and sustainability practices.
          - 	Framework for a Sustainable School   PDF  (733K)
          - 	Education Sector in Climate Action   PDF  (601K)
          - 	Environmental Justice in Schools   PDF  (862K)
          - How School Operations Affect the Environment  PDF  (136K)
          - School Grounds and the Outdoors  PDF  (1.0M)

### Green Strides School Sustainability Resource Hub

The Green Strides School Sustainability Resource Hub is a website that is available for  schools to access free resources on healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st learning  environments and environmental sustainability education. Resources and webinars  on the website encompass the three Pillars of the U.S. Department of Education  Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition award. Outside resources are not  endorsed by the Department.

**Disclaimer:**This page contains resources that are provided for the user’s convenience. The inclusion of these materials is not intended to reflect its importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered. These materials may contain the views and recommendations of various subject matter experts as well as hypertext links, contact addresses and websites to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. The opinions expressed in any of these materials do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education (ED). ED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any outside information included in these materials.

## Reporting

### Climate Adaptation

Executive Order 14008,  Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, directs agencies to update  their Climate Adaptation Plans. The Department's Climate Adaptation Plan looks  at every available tool ED has at its disposal to prioritize equitable access  to healthy, safe, sustainable, 21st-century learning environments and  sustainability learning that equips students to face the challenges of the  future.
          - 2021 Climate Adaptation Plan  PDF  (386K)

### Sustainability

The goal of Executive Order 13834,  Efficient Federal Operations, requires each federal agency to prepare a  Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan.
          - 2020 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan  PDF  (315K)

### Environmental Justice

Justice40 was created to spreadhead the goals of Executive  Order 14008 from which 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain  Federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized,  underserved, and overburdened by pollution. This whole-of-government approach  commits the Federal Government to environmental justice investments. The  U.S. Department of Education does not have programs that are covered by the  Justice40 Initiative; however, the scorecards provide an overview of other  environmental justice efforts.
          - Environmental Justice Scorecards

## Contact Us

### ED Infrastructure and Sustainability News

ED Infrastructure and Sustainability News helps school stakeholders stay current on the latest nationally-available resources,  events, and happenings on school infrastructure and sustainability. ED-GRS  honoree summaries are featured in the newsletter to share stories of success  and promote school sustainability achievements across the country. Subscribe to receive the newsletter and consult the past newsletter archive. 

### Social Media

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For general inquiries contact:  Andrea Suarez Falken  Special Advisor for Infrastructure and Sustainability  U.S.  Department of EducationAndrea.Falken@ed.gov

For information and lead state contacts for the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools visit the program Contacts Page. *Note: Schools, districts, postsecondary institutions, and early  learning centers do not apply to ED for this award, but instead apply to their state education authorities. Candidates, including non-public, early learning, and charter schools, should contact their state departments of education or state higher education authorities for information on selection in each state.*