[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 66 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)] [Senate] [Pages S1295-S1296] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-20
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. REED: today, I am introducing important environmental literacy legislation, the No Child Left Inside Act, along with Senator Collins and Senator Merkley and Congressman Sarbanes. Our bipartisan, bicameral bill focuses on the fundamental goal of public education, which is to equip the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and experiences to understand the world around them and their ability to shape it. In the face of a global climate crisis, it is essential that all students graduate with environmental literacy skills to secure and sustain their future. Environmental education provides broad benefits. It has been shown to enhance student achievement in science and other core subjects and to increase student engagement and critical thinking skills. Moreover, it promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging kids to get outside. Yet, environmental education often gets crowded out of the school day. In a Rhode Island Environmental Education Association survey, teachers identified challenges to integrating environmental education into an already crowded curriculum and ranked professional development as most helpful to remedying the situation. Some of the practices put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have shown real promise. As the pandemic took hold, Rhode Island's environmental educators sprang into action, creating outdoor learning support opportunities and virtual programs for students as they did school from home. We need to build on these successes and build stronger connections between environmental education organizations and our public schools. That is what the No Child Left Inside Act aims to do. The No Child Left Inside Act establishes a new grant program to support States in the development and implementation of environmental literacy plans to integrate environmental education and field experiences into the core academic program in public schools, with an emphasis on professional development in environmental education for teachers. With this funding, States will provide grants for partnerships between school districts andparks, natural resource management agencies, educator preparation programs, museums, or other organizations with expertise in engaging young people with real world examples of environmental and scientific concepts. The legislation also establishes a pilot program for outdoor school education programs that offer intensive, hands-on learning experiences, such as residential programs and summer camps. The No Child Left Inside Act will also help coordinate Federal efforts on environmental education. It requires the Secretary of Education to establish an environmental literacy advisory panel to coordinate and report on environmental literacy activities across Federal Agencies. It also will provide easy access to environmental education resources through the Department of Education's website. The No Child Left Inside Act has the support of nearly 100 organizations, representing educators, parks, museums, environmental organizations, and community-based organizations at the national, State, and local levels. They stand ready and willing to partner with schools across the Nation. The Federal Government should be a partner too. That is why I urge my colleagues to join me in cosponsoring and passing the No Child Left Inside Act.