110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3036 
AN ACT 
To reauthorize and enhance the National Environmental 
Education Act, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Child Left Inside 
Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ACT 
AMENDMENTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 3 of the National Envi-
ronmental Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5502) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (12), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (13), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(14) ‘principles of scientific research’ means 
principles of research that— 
‘‘(A) apply rigorous, systematic, and objec-
tive methodology to obtain reliable and valid 
knowledge relevant to education activities and 
programs; 
‘‘(B) present findings and make claims 
that are appropriate to, and supported by, the 
methods that have been employed; and 
‘‘(C) include, appropriate to the research 
being conducted— 
‘‘(i) use of systematic, empirical meth-
ods that draw on observation or experi-
ment;
‘‘(ii) use of data analyses that are 
adequate to support the general findings; 
‘‘(iii) reliance on measurements or ob-
servational methods that provide reliable 
and generalizable findings; 
‘‘(iv) strong claims of causal relation-
ships, only with research designs that 
eliminate plausible completing explanations 
for observed results, such as, but not lim-
ited to, random-assignment experiments; 
‘‘(v) presentation of studies and meth-
ods in sufficient detail and clarity to allow 
for replication or, at a minimum, to offer 
the opportunity to build systematically on 
the findings of the research; 
‘‘(vi) acceptance by a peer-reviewed 
journal or critique by a panel of inde-
pendent experts through a comparably rig-
orous, objective, and scientific review; and 
‘‘(vii) consistency of findings across 
multiple studies or sites to support the 
generality of results and conclusions; 
‘‘(15) ‘scientifically valid research’ includes ap-
plied research, basic research, and field-initiated re-
search in which the rationale, design, and interpreta-
tion are soundly developed in accordance with prin-
ciples of scientific research; 
‘‘(16) ‘State’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965; and 
‘‘(17) ‘State educational agency’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 9101 of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.’’. 
(b) ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
AND TRAINING 
PROGRAM.—Section 5 of the National Environmental 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 5504) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘creating opportuni-
ties for enhanced and ongoing professional 
development and’’ before ‘‘classroom’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘(including inte-
grating scientifically valid research teach-
ing methods and technology-based teaching 
methods into the curriculum)’’ after ‘‘prac-
tices’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘curriculum, including’’ 
and inserting ‘‘curriculum (including’’;
(ii) by striking ‘‘groups;’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘groups) which—’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) are aligned with challenging State 
and local academic content standards to the ex-
tent such standards exist; and 
‘‘(B) advance the teaching of interdiscipli-
nary courses that integrate the study of nat-
ural, social, and economic systems and that in-
clude strong field components;’’; 
(C) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and fo-
rums;’’ and inserting ‘‘forums, and bringing 
teachers into contact with working professionals 
in environmental fields to expand such teachers’ 
subject matter knowledge of, and research in, 
environmental issues;’’; 
(D) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting ‘‘, including environmental edu-
cation distance learning programs for teachers 
using curricula that are innovative, content- 
based, and based on scientifically valid research 
that is current as of the date of the program 
involved;’’;
(E) by redesignating paragraph (9) as 
paragraph (13); 
(F) 
by 
redesignating 
paragraphs 
(4) 
through (8) as paragraphs (5) through (9), re-
spectively; 
(G) by inserting after paragraph (3) the 
following: 
‘‘(4) 
encouraging 
individuals 
traditionally 
under-represented in environmental careers to pur-
sue postsecondary degrees in majors leading to such 
careers;’’; and 
(H) by inserting after paragraph (9) (as so 
redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(10) establishment of programs to prepare 
teachers at a school to provide environmental edu-
cation professional development to other teachers at 
the school and programs to promote outdoor envi-
ronmental education activities as part of the regular 
school curriculum and schedule in order to further 
the knowledge and development of teachers and stu-
dents; 
‘‘(11) summer workshops or institutes, includ-
ing follow-up training, for elementary and secondary 
school environmental education teachers;