I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 882 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 in order 

to improve environmental literacy to better prepare students for postsecondary education and careers, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2015 

Mr. SARBANES (for himself, Mr. BEYER, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. 

CICILLINE, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COURTNEY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. 

EDWARDS, Mr. FARR, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, 

Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. KIND, Ms. 

KUSTER, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. LEE, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

MCNERNEY, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. PETERS, 

Ms. PINGREE, Mr. POCAN, Mr. POLIS, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 

Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. SIRES, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 

THOMPSON of California, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. WELCH, and Mr. YARMUTH) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 

of 1965 in order to improve environmental literacy to 

better prepare students for postsecondary education and 

careers, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

3 ‘‘No Child Left Inside Act of 2015’’. 

4 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

5 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Findings. 

Sec. 3. References. 

Sec. 4. Authorization of appropriations. 

TITLE I—ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY 

Sec. 101. Environmental literacy. 

Sec. 102. Conforming amendments. 

TITLE II—PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IN 

EDUCATION PROGRAMS 

Sec. 201. Amendments to part B of title II. 

Sec. 202. Amendments to part B of title IV. 

TITLE III—NATIONAL ACTIVITIES 

Sec. 301. Availability of other environmental literacy information. 

Sec. 302. Federal interagency coordination on environmental literacy. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Children and young adults are increasingly 

9 disconnected from the natural world around them, 

10 spending less time outside playing, exploring, and 

11 learning. 

12 (2) Play and learning in nature is important to 

13 the intellectual, social, and physical development of 

14 youth. 

15 (3) Environmental education, as part of the for16 mal prekindergarten through grade 12 school cur17 riculum, provides opportunities for youth to get outVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 side and learn about the natural world, has positive 

2 impacts on student achievement in all subjects and 

3 especially in science, reading, mathematics, and so4 cial studies, and improves critical thinking skills, en5 thusiasm for learning, stewardship, and healthy life6 styles. 

7 (4) By many indicators, the United States is 

8 falling behind other nations in preparing students 

9 with the educational tools necessary to compete for 

10 the growing opportunities in the sciences, including 

11 environmental, natural resource, and energy related 

12 careers. 

13 (5) Reports by boards of the National Science 

14 Foundation, the National Environmental Education 

15 Advisory Council, and the National Council for 

16 Science and the Environment, among others, have 

17 called for a systemic approach to environmental edu18 cation in the formal education system to improve the 

19 environmental literacy of youth and better prepare 

20 students for college and the 21st century workforce. 

21 (6) Forty-eight States have developed, or are in 

22 the process of developing, environmental literacy 

23 plans to effectively integrate environmental edu24 cation into the prekindergarten through grade 12 

25 curriculum and ensure that students graduate from 


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1 high school environmentally literate. At the same 

2 time, most States are aligning curricula with the 

3 Common Core State Standards. 

4 (7) Support from the Department of Education 

5 is needed to help State and local educational agen6 cies, and the partners of such agencies, implement 

7 environmental literacy plans and advance State cur8 riculum frameworks for environmental and natural 

9 resource education that meets new State academic 

10 content and student achievement standards. 

11 (8) Federal science and natural resource agen12 cies have important resources, including Federal 

13 lands and laboratories, content experts, data, and 

14 programs, that can inform and support State and 

15 local environmental literacy policies and program16 ming. 

17 SEC. 3. REFERENCES. 

18 Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in 

19 this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 

20 of an amendment to, or a repeal of, a section or other 

21 provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to 

22 a section or other provision of the Elementary and Sec23 ondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 


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1 TITLE I—ENVIRONMENTAL 

2 LITERACY 

3 SEC. 101. ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY. 

4 Part D of title V (20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.) is amended 

5 by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘Subpart 22—Environmental Literacy 

7 ‘‘SEC. 5621. DEFINITIONS. 

8 ‘‘In this subpart: 

9 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘eligi10 ble partnership’ means a partnership that includes a 

11 local educational agency and not less than 1 of the 

12 following partners: 

13 ‘‘(A) A teacher preparation program at an 

14 institution of higher education. 

15 ‘‘(B) The environmental or life sciences de16 partment of an institution of higher education. 

17 ‘‘(C) Another local educational agency, a 

18 public charter school, a public elementary 

19 school or secondary school, or a consortium of 

20 such schools. 

21 ‘‘(D) A Federal, State, regional, or local 

22 environmental or natural resource management 

23 agency, or parks and recreation department, 

24 that has demonstrated effectiveness, expertise, 

25 and experience in the field of environmental litVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 eracy, including the professional development of 

2 teachers. 

3 ‘‘(E) A nonprofit organization that has 

4 demonstrated effectiveness, expertise, and expe5 rience in the field of environmental literacy, in6 cluding the professional development of teach7 ers. 

8 ‘‘(2) ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY.—The term 

9 ‘environmental literacy’ means a fundamental under10 standing of ecological principles, the systems of the 

11 natural world, and the relationships and interactions 

12 between natural and man-made environments. 

13 ‘‘(3) ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLAN.—The 

14 term ‘environmental literacy plan’ means a plan de15 veloped, approved, or sponsored by the State edu16 cational agency in consultation with State environ17 mental agencies, State environmental education as18 sociations, and State natural resource agencies, and 

19 with input from the public, that— 

20 ‘‘(A) prepares students to understand eco21 logical principles, the systems of the natural 

22 world, and the relationships and interactions 

23 between natural and man-made environments; 

24 ‘‘(B) provides field and hands-on experi25 ences as part of the regular school curriculum 


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1 and creates programs that contribute to healthy 

2 lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound 

3 nutrition; 

4 ‘‘(C) provides environmental service learn5 ing opportunities; 

6 ‘‘(D) provides targeted professional devel7 opment opportunities for teachers that improves 

8 the teachers’— 

9 ‘‘(i) environmental and natural re10 source content knowledge; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) pedagogical skills in teaching 

12 about the environment, including the use 

13 of— 

14 ‘‘(I) interdisciplinary, field-based, 

15 and research-based learning; and 

16 ‘‘(II) science, technology, engi17 neering, and mathematics content 

18 knowledge and tools; 

19 ‘‘(E) describes the measures the State will 

20 use to assess the environmental literacy of stu21 dents, including— 

22 ‘‘(i) relevant State academic content 

23 standards and content areas regarding en24 vironmental education, and courses or sub25 jects where environmental education inVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 struction will be integrated throughout the 

2 prekindergarten through grade 12 cur3 riculum; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) a description of the relationship 

5 of the plan to the secondary school gradua6 tion requirements of the State; 

7 ‘‘(F) describes how the State educational 

8 agency will implement the plan, in partnership 

9 with nongovernmental organizations, Federal 

10 agencies, State environmental agencies, State 

11 environmental education associations, State 

12 natural resource agencies, and local educational 

13 agencies, including how the State educational 

14 agency will secure funding and other necessary 

15 support; and 

16 ‘‘(G) is periodically updated by the State 

17 educational agency not less often than every 5 

18 years. 

19 ‘‘(4) HIGH-NEED LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGEN20 CY.—The term ‘high-need local educational agency’ 

21 means a local educational agency— 

22 ‘‘(A) for which not less than 20 percent of 

23 the children served by the agency are children 

24 from low-income families; 


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1 ‘‘(B) that serves not fewer than 10,000 

2 children from low-income families; 

3 ‘‘(C) that meets the eligibility requirements 

4 for funding under section 6211(b); or 

5 ‘‘(D) that meets the eligibility require6 ments for funding under section 6221(b). 

7 ‘‘SEC. 5622. GRANTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRON8 MENTAL LITERACY PLANS. 

9 ‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—From amounts ap10 propriated for this section, the Secretary shall award 

11 grants to States to enable the States to award subgrants, 

12 on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to support 

13 the implementation of the State environmental literacy 

14 plan. 

15 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State that desires a 

17 grant under this section shall submit an application 

18 to the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and 

19 containing such information as the Secretary may 

20 require. 

21 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each application under this 

22 subsection shall— 

23 ‘‘(A) include the State’s environmental lit24 eracy plan and information on the status of im25 plementation of such plan; 


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1 ‘‘(B) describe how funds received under 

2 this subsection will assist the State in fur3 thering the implementation of the State’s envi4 ronmental literacy plan; 

5 ‘‘(C) describe the process the State will use 

6 to make subgrants to eligible partnerships; and 

7 ‘‘(D) describe the process the State will 

8 use to evaluate the impact of the activities as9 sisted under this subpart. 

10 ‘‘(c) PEER REVIEW.—The Secretary shall— 

11 ‘‘(1) establish a peer review process to assist in 

12 the review of grant applications under this section; 

13 ‘‘(2) appoint individuals to the peer review 

14 process who— 

15 ‘‘(A) are representative of parents, teach16 ers, State educational agencies, State environ17 mental agencies, State natural resource agen18 cies, local educational agencies, and nongovern19 mental organizations; and 

20 ‘‘(B) are familiar with national environ21 mental issues and the health and educational 

22 needs of students; and 

23 ‘‘(3) include, in the peer review process, appro24 priate representatives from the Department of Com25 merce, the Department of the Interior, the DepartVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 ment of Energy, the Environmental Protection 

2 Agency, and other appropriate Federal agencies, to 

3 provide environmental expertise and background for 

4 evaluation of the State environmental literacy plan. 

5 ‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—A State receiv6 ing a grant under this section may use not more than 2.5 

7 percent of the grant funds for administrative expenses. 

8 ‘‘(e) STATE EDUCATIONAL AGENCY REPORT.— 

9 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State receiving a 

10 grant under this subpart shall prepare and submit 

11 an annual report to the Secretary containing infor12 mation about— 

13 ‘‘(A) the implementation of the environ14 mental literacy plan; and 

15 ‘‘(B) the grant activities supported under 

16 this subpart. 

17 ‘‘(2) REPORT REQUIREMENTS.—The report re18 quired by this section shall be— 

19 ‘‘(A) in the form specified by the Sec20 retary; 

21 ‘‘(B) based on the State’s ongoing evalua22 tion activities; and 

23 ‘‘(C) made readily available to the public. 

24 ‘‘(f) SUBGRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) SUBGRANTS TO ELIGIBLE PARTNER2 SHIPS.—From amounts made available to a State 

3 educational agency under subsection (a), the State 

4 educational agency shall award subgrants, on a com5 petitive basis, to eligible partnerships serving the 

6 State, to enable the eligible partnerships to carry out 

7 the authorized activities described in subsection (h). 

8 ‘‘(2) DURATION.—The State educational agency 

9 shall award each subgrant under this section for a 

10 period of not more than 3 years. 

11 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making subgrants under 

12 this section, a State shall give priority to eligible 

13 partnerships that include a high-need local edu14 cational agency. 

15 ‘‘(4) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds 

16 provided to an eligible partnership under this section 

17 shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, funds 

18 that would otherwise be used for activities author19 ized under this section. 

20 ‘‘(g) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 

21 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible partnership 

22 desiring a subgrant under this section shall submit 

23 an application to the State educational agency, at 

24 such time, in such manner, and accompanied by 


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1 such information as the State educational agency 

2 may require. 

3 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 

4 under paragraph (1) shall include— 

5 ‘‘(A) a description of teacher professional 

6 development needs, with respect to the teaching 

7 and learning of environmental content; 

8 ‘‘(B) an explanation of how the activities 

9 to be carried out by the eligible partnership are 

10 expected to improve student academic achieve11 ment and strengthen the quality of environ12 mental instruction; 

13 ‘‘(C) a description of how the activities to 

14 be carried out by the eligible partnership— 

15 ‘‘(i) will be aligned with challenging 

16 State academic content standards and stu17 dent academic achievement standards 

18 under section 1111(b)(1) in environmental 

19 education, to the extent such standards 

20 exist, and with the State’s environmental 

21 literacy plan; and 

22 ‘‘(ii) will advance the teaching of 

23 interdisciplinary courses that integrate the 

24 study of natural, social, and economic sys25 tems and that include strong field compoVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 nents in which students have the oppor2 tunity to directly experience nature 

3 through outdoor environmental learning; 

4 ‘‘(D) a description of how the activities to 

5 be carried out by the eligible partnership will 

6 ensure that teachers are trained in the use of 

7 field-based or service learning to enable the 

8 teachers— 

9 ‘‘(i) to use the local environment and 

10 community as a resource; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) to improve student under12 standing of the environment and increase 

13 academic achievement; 

14 ‘‘(E) a description of— 

15 ‘‘(i) how the eligible partnership will 

16 carry out the authorized activities de17 scribed in subsection (h); and 

18 ‘‘(ii) the eligible partnership’s evalua19 tion and accountability plan described in 

20 subsection (i); and 

21 ‘‘(F) a description of how the eligible part22 nership will continue the activities funded under 

23 this section after the grant period has expired. 

24 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—An eligible partner25 ship shall use the subgrant funds provided under this secVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 tion for 1 or more of the following activities related to 

2 elementary schools or secondary schools: 

3 ‘‘(1) Providing targeted, job-embedded profes4 sional development opportunities for teachers that 

5 improve the teachers’ environmental content knowl6 edge and pedagogical skills in teaching about the en7 vironment, including in the use of— 

8 ‘‘(A) interdisciplinary, research-based, and 

9 field-based learning; and 

10 ‘‘(B) technology in the classroom. 

11 ‘‘(2) Establishing and operating environmental 

12 education summer workshops or institutes, including 

13 follow-up professional development, for elementary 

14 and secondary school teachers, and preschool teach15 ers, as appropriate, to improve pedagogical skills 

16 and content knowledge for the teaching of environ17 mental education. 

18 ‘‘(3) Developing or redesigning more rigorous 

19 environmental education curricula that— 

20 ‘‘(A) are aligned with challenging State 

21 academic content standards in environmental 

22 education, to the extent such standards exist, 

23 and with the State environmental literacy plan; 

24 and 


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1 ‘‘(B) advance the teaching of interdiscipli2 nary courses that integrate the study of nat3 ural, social, and economic systems and that in4 clude strong field components. 

5 ‘‘(4) Designing programs to prepare teachers at 

6 a school to provide mentoring and professional devel7 opment to other teachers at such school to improve 

8 teacher environmental education content knowledge 

9 and pedagogical skills. 

10 ‘‘(5) Establishing and operating programs to 

11 bring teachers and students into contact with work12 ing professionals in environmental fields to deepen 

13 such teachers’ knowledge of environmental content 

14 and research practices. 

15 ‘‘(6) Creating initiatives that seek to incor16 porate environmental education within teacher train17 ing programs or accreditation standards consistent 

18 with the State environmental literacy plan. 

19 ‘‘(7) Promoting the integration of outdoor envi20 ronmental education lessons into the regular school 

21 curriculum and schedule in order to further the 

22 knowledge and professional development of teachers 

23 and help students directly experience nature. 

24 ‘‘(i) EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible partnership 

2 receiving a subgrant under this section shall develop 

3 an evaluation and accountability plan for activities 

4 assisted under this section that includes rigorous ob5 jectives that measure the impact of such activities. 

6 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan developed under 

7 paragraph (1) shall include measurable objectives to 

8 increase the number of teachers who participate in 

9 environmental education content-based professional 

10 development activities. 

11 ‘‘(j) REPORT BY ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.—Each 

12 eligible partnership receiving a subgrant under this section 

13 shall report annually, for each year of the subgrant, to 

14 the State educational agency regarding the eligible part15 nership’s progress in meeting the objectives described in 

16 the accountability plan of the eligible partnership under 

17 subsection (i). 

18 ‘‘SEC. 5623. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT PRO19 GRAM TO HELP BUILD NATIONAL CAPACITY. 

20 ‘‘(a) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this section are— 

21 ‘‘(1) to strengthen environmental education as 

22 an integral part of the elementary school and sec23 ondary school curriculum; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) to disseminate information about best 

2 practices and resources available to support environ3 mental literacy programs. 

4 ‘‘(b) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 

5 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 

6 to award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 

7 partnerships to enable the eligible partnerships to 

8 pay the Federal share of the costs of activities under 

9 this section. 

10 ‘‘(2) DURATION.—Each grant under this sec11 tion shall be for a period of not less than 1 year and 

12 not more than 3 years. 

13 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under this 

14 section, the Secretary shall give priority to eligible 

15 partnerships that include a high-need local edu16 cational agency. 

17 ‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.—Each eligible partnership desir18 ing a grant under this section shall submit to the Sec19 retary an application that contains— 

20 ‘‘(1) a plan to initiate, expand, or improve envi21 ronmental education programs in order to make 

22 progress toward— 

23 ‘‘(A) challenging State academic content 

24 standards and student academic achievement 


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1 standards in environmental education, to the 

2 extent such standards exist; and 

3 ‘‘(B) meeting academic standards that are 

4 aligned with the State’s environmental literacy 

5 plan; and 

6 ‘‘(2) an evaluation and accountability plan for 

7 activities assisted under this section that includes 

8 rigorous objectives that measure the impact of ac9 tivities funded under this section. 

10 ‘‘(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Grant funds made available 

11 under this section shall be used for 1 or more of the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘(1) Developing and implementing State cur14 riculum frameworks for environmental education 

15 that meet— 

16 ‘‘(A) challenging State academic content 

17 standards and student academic achievement 

18 standards for environmental education, to the 

19 extent such standards exist; and 

20 ‘‘(B) academic standards that are aligned 

21 with the State’s environmental literacy plan 

22 under section 5622. 

23 ‘‘(2) Replicating or disseminating information 

24 about proven and tested model environmental edu25 cation programs that— 


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1 ‘‘(A) use the environment as an integrating 

2 theme or content throughout the curriculum; or 

3 ‘‘(B) provide integrated, interdisciplinary 

4 instruction about natural, social, and economic 

5 systems along with field experience that pro6 vides students with opportunities to directly ex7 perience nature in ways designed to improve 

8 students’ overall academic performance, per9 sonal health (including addressing child obesity 

10 issues), and understanding of nature. 

11 ‘‘(3) Developing and implementing new ap12 proaches to advancing environmental education, and 

13 to advancing the adoption and use of environmental 

14 education content standards, at the State and local 

15 levels. 

16 ‘‘(e) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP REPORT.—In order to 

17 continue receiving grant funds under this section after the 

18 first year of a multiyear grant under this section, the eligi19 ble partnership shall submit to the Secretary an annual 

20 report that— 

21 ‘‘(1) describes the activities assisted under this 

22 section that were conducted during the preceding 

23 year; 

24 ‘‘(2) demonstrates that progress has been made 

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1 ards for environmental education described in sub2 section (d)(3); and 

3 ‘‘(3) describes the results of the eligible part4 nership’s evaluation and accountability plan. 

5 ‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— 

6 ‘‘(1) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of a 

7 grant under this section shall not exceed— 

8 ‘‘(A) 90 percent of the total costs of the 

9 activities assisted under the grant for the first 

10 year for which the program receives assistance 

11 under this section; and 

12 ‘‘(B) 75 percent of such costs for each of 

13 the second and third years. 

14 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more 

15 than 7.5 percent of the grant funds made available 

16 to an eligible partnership under this section for any 

17 fiscal year may be used for administrative expenses. 

18 ‘‘(3) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Amounts made 

19 available to the Secretary to carry out this section 

20 shall remain available until expended. 

21 ‘‘(g) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made 

22 available under this section shall be used to supplement, 

23 and not supplant, any other Federal, State, or local funds 

24 available for environmental education activities. 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 5624. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 

2 ‘‘Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

3 of the No Child Left Inside Act of 2015 and every 2 years 

4 thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress 

5 that— 

6 ‘‘(1) describes the programs assisted under this 

7 subpart; 

8 ‘‘(2) documents the success of such programs in 

9 improving national and State environmental edu10 cation capacity; and 

11 ‘‘(3) makes such recommendations as the Sec12 retary determines appropriate for the continuation 

13 and improvement of the programs assisted under 

14 this subpart. 

15 ‘‘SEC. 5625. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 ‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be 

17 appropriated to carry out this subpart such sums as may 

18 be necessary for fiscal year 2016 and each of the 4 suc19 ceeding fiscal years. 

20 ‘‘(b) DISTRIBUTION.—With respect to any amount 

21 appropriated under subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the 

22 Secretary shall use— 

23 ‘‘(1) not less than 70 percent of such amount 

24 to carry out section 5622; and 

25 ‘‘(2) not more than 30 percent of such amount 

26 to carry out section 5623 for such fiscal year.’’. 


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1 SEC. 102. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 

2 (a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

3 5401 (20 U.S.C. 7241) is amended, in the matter pre4 ceding paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘(except for subpart 

5 22)’’ after ‘‘this part’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents in 

7 section 2 is amended by inserting after the item relating 

8 to section 5618 the following: 

‘‘SUBPART 22—ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

‘‘Sec. 5621. Definitions. 

‘‘Sec. 5622. Grants for implementation of environmental literacy plans. 

‘‘Sec. 5623. Environmental education grant program to help build national capacity. 

‘‘Sec. 5624. Report to Congress. 

‘‘Sec. 5625. Authorization of appropriations.’’. 

9 TITLE II—PROMOTING ENVIRON10 MENTAL LITERACY IN EDU11 CATION PROGRAMS 

12 SEC. 201. AMENDMENTS TO PART B OF TITLE II. 

13 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 2201(b)(1)(B) (20 

14 U.S.C. 6661(b)(1)(B)) is amended— 

15 (1) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘or’’; 

16 (2) in clause (iv), by striking the period at the 

17 end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

18 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

19 ‘‘(v) a Federal, State, regional, or 

20 local science, environmental, or natural re21 source management agency or a nonprofit 

22 environmental education organization that 


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1 has demonstrated effectiveness in improv2 ing the quality of mathematics and science 

3 instruction.’’. 

4 (b) GRANTS.—Section 2202 (20 U.S.C. 6662) is 

5 amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by inserting ‘‘, in7 cluding any State environmental literacy plan de8 scribed in section 5621,’’ after ‘‘reform activities’’; 

9 and 

10 (2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 

11 following: 

12 ‘‘(11) Professional development in the use of 

13 field-based or service learning to enable teachers— 

14 ‘‘(A) to use the local environment and 

15 community as a resource; and 

16 ‘‘(B) to enhance student understanding of 

17 mathematics and science through environmental 

18 education.’’. 

19 SEC. 202. AMENDMENTS TO PART B OF TITLE IV. 

20 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 4201(b)(1)(A) (20 

21 U.S.C. 7171(b)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘environ22 mental literacy,’’ after ‘‘technology,’’. 

23 (b) LOCAL ACTIVITIES.—Section 4205(a) (20 U.S.C. 

24 7175(a)) is amended— 


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1 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through 

2 (12) as paragraphs (5) through (13), respectively; 

3 and 

4 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol5 lowing: 

6 ‘‘(4) environmental literacy activities;’’. 

7 TITLE III—NATIONAL 

8 ACTIVITIES 

9 SEC. 301. AVAILABILITY OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL LIT10 ERACY INFORMATION. 

11 (a) OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY ENVIRONMENTAL LIT12 ERACY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.—The Secretary of Edu13 cation shall request that all Federal agencies provide in14 formation on any environmental literacy assistance pro15 gram operated, sponsored, or supported by such Federal 

16 agency, including information about the application proce17 dures, financial terms and conditions, and other relevant 

18 information for each program, and each Federal agency 

19 shall promptly respond to surveys or other requests from 

20 the Secretary of Education for the information described 

21 in this subsection. 

22 (b) PUBLIC INFORMATION.—The Secretary of Edu23 cation shall ensure that not later than 90 days after the 

24 Secretary of Education receives the information required 

25 under subsection (a), the eligibility requirements, applicaVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 Feb 19, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H882.IH H882

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1 tion procedures, financial terms and conditions, and other 

2 relevant information for each environmental literacy as3 sistance program offered by another Federal agency are 

4 searchable and accessible through the Department of Edu5 cation’s website and cross-referenced with the United 

6 States Green Ribbon School application information, in a 

7 manner that is simple and understandable for local edu8 cational agencies and communities. 

9 SEC. 302. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION ON EN10 VIRONMENTAL LITERACY. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education shall 

12 coordinate environmental literacy activities between the 

13 Department of Education, the Environmental Protection 

14 Agency, the Department of the Interior, and the Depart15 ment of Commerce, including by carrying out the activities 

16 described in subsection (b). 

17 (b) COORDINATION ACTIVITIES.—In coordinating en18 vironmental literacy activities, the Secretary of Education 

19 shall— 

20 (1) assess current Federal environmental edu21 cation programs, goals, and budget items across 

22 agencies; 

23 (2) assess environment-based science, tech24 nology, engineering, and mathematics achievement 

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1 ronment is an effective strategy for increasing en2 gagement in learning and academic achievement in 

3 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 

4 subject areas; and 

5 (3) produce adaptable environmental literacy 

6 plan guidelines and identify coordinated resources 

7 across Federal agencies that States and local edu8 cational agencies can follow as States and local edu9 cational agencies work to develop environmental lit10 eracy plans and programs of their own. 

11 (c) ADVISORY PANEL.—The Secretary of Education 

12 shall appoint an advisory panel of stakeholders, including 

13 representatives from State educational agencies, local edu14 cational agencies, businesses, and nonprofit organizations 

15 that are engaged in local environmental literacy efforts 

16 representing the geographic, economic, and cultural diver17 sity of the United States, who shall meet quarterly to ad18 vise and support interagency planning and assessment re19 garding environmental literacy activities. 

20 (d) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 

21 after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually 

22 thereafter, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator 

23 of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of 

24 the Interior, and the Secretary of Commerce shall prepare 

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1 tion about the coordination of environmental literacy ac2 tivities between Federal agencies. 

Æ 


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