(1) Environmental justice education is essential 
for— 
(A) producing students who are prepared 
to address not only the imminent climate 
change issues that effect them locally, but to be 
the driving force behind global environmental 
solutions that will be the stimulus of an emerg-
ing eco-efficient economy; 
(B) addressing the global and local envi-
ronmental issues that are disproportionately af-
fecting people of color; and 
(C) fostering a critical understanding of 
the environment within the context of human 
political and social actions. 
(2) Environmental justice education lends itself 
to the field of service learning with the call to move 
beyond the classroom and experience the earth in an 
experiential, embodied way which empowers students 
to confront global environmental justice. 
(3) States and local educational agencies should 
create an integrated curriculum in which environ-
mental justice education is incorporated throughout 
subject areas such as math, science, history, lan-
guage arts, and all other core subject areas. 
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(4) Environmental justice education uses mul-
tiple strategies including experiential learning, inte-
grated core subject study, analytical research, and 
project based learning. 
SEC. 3. GRANTS AUTHORIZED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education shall, 
subject to the availability of appropriations, make grants 
on a competitive basis under this Act to States and to 
local educational agencies that submit to the Secretary an 
application at such time and in such manner as the Sec-
retary may require. The purpose of the grants is to assist 
eligible recipients to develop an environmental justice cur-
riculum, and a co-op program, for students attending mid-
dle and high schools that— 
(1) receive funds under part A of title I of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(29 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.); and 
(2) are located in an urban community that 
may be disproportionately affected by climate 
change, pollution, and other environmental issues. 
(b) CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT.—An environ-
mental justice curriculum developed with funds received 
under this Act shall satisfy the following objectives: 
(1) Educating students, through experiential 
learning and otherwise, about topics relating to envi-
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ronmental justice, such as air pollution, lead paint 
poisoning, access to organic foods, sustainable agri-
culture, proximity to landfills, toxic dumping, rel-
ative asthma rates, and the historical patterns of en-
vironmental impacts. 
(2) Empowering students actively to address 
environmental issues in their local neighborhoods 
while also considering global environmental prob-
lems. 
(3) Allowing students to explore careers that in-
volve solving environmental problems and cultivating 
innovators to solve such problems. 
(4) Enhancing life skills required for sound per-
sonal decision making, participation in civic and cul-
tural affairs, and economic productivity, such as 
problem solving, critical thinking, and good steward-
ship. 
(5) Establishing a nurturing environment that 
fosters democratic and socially just relationships 
among schools, families, and surrounding commu-
nities. 
(c) CO-OP PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT.—A co-op pro-
gram developed with funds received under this Act shall 
satisfy the following objectives: 
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(1) Linking students with career opportunities 
in the environmental field by building partnerships 
with the public and private sector. 
(2) Providing students with an opportunity to 
earn secondary school course credits or credits to-
wards the jurisdiction’s service learning require-
ments during the summer through experiential 
learning such as internships and other types of field 
experience. 
(3) Assisting students in building skills nec-
essary for workforce success, such as development of 
a career path; resume, letter, and memoranda writ-
ing; and job interviewing. 
(4) Providing students with mentors recruited 
through the partnerships described in paragraph (1) 
who are equipped to assist a mentee in the skill 
building described in paragraph (3). 
Æ 
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