An Act to Establish the Maine Green Schools Network
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1543
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: RAFFERTY, MURPHY

Legislative Document
No. 1543
S.P. 627
In Senate, April 10, 2025
An Act to Establish the Maine Green Schools Network
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator RAFFERTY of York.
Cosponsored by Representative MURPHY of Scarborough and
Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, DODGE of Belfast, MITCHELL of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA c. 335 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 335
MAINE GREEN SCHOOLS NETWORK
§9931. Definitions 
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1. Green school. "Green school" means a public school that shows exemplary progress 
in the following areas: 
A.  Supporting the work of school administrative units to increase efficiencies in and 
reduce carbon emissions from buildings, energy systems, transportation, food use and 
landscaping; 
B.  Constructing an engaging support system and framework for environmental literacy 
through networking and sharing curriculum units, projects and outdoor activities 
between educators in this State; 
C.  Establishing a continuous pathway for career exploration and skill development in 
climate-ready fields; and
D.  Building strong and lasting leadership within youth, educators, administrators and 
community members to support the initiatives described in this subsection. 
For the purposes of this subsection, "climate-ready fields" means occupational fields 
related to climate or clean energy. 
2. Network. "Network" means the Maine Green Schools Network. 
3. Student. "Student" means an individual enrolled in prekindergarten to grade 12 in a 
public school or school administrative unit. 
§9932. Network established; administration; composition
The Maine Green Schools Network is established within the department to support 
environmental education and initiatives within public schools and school administrative 
units as described in section 9933. 
1. Administration. The department shall administer the network. In administering the 
network, the department may collaborate with the following entities: 
A.  A nonprofit organization in this State that supports environmental awareness, 
accountability and action through fostering youth leadership, supporting educators, 
prioritizing research and evaluation, shifting culture and advancing transformational 
policy; 
B.  Other state agencies;
C.  Tribal governments; and
D.  Nonprofit organizations that support environmental, outdoor and climate learning 
programs, traditional ecological knowledge, local procurement and other experiential 
learning initiatives in public schools and school administrative units.
2. Network composition. The department shall invite the following individuals to 
participate in the network: 
A.  The director of green schools within the department; 
B.   The climate education specialist within the department; 
C.  The Wabanaki studies specialist within the department;
D.  Two educators who have previously participated in the Climate Education 
Professional Development Pilot Program established by Resolve 2021, chapter 178;
E.  Two students of an educator who has previously participated in the Climate 
Education Professional Development Pilot Program; 
F.  A representative from a nonprofit organization in this State that supports 
environmental awareness, accountability and action through fostering youth 
leadership, supporting educators, prioritizing research and evaluation, shifting culture 
and advancing transformational policy; 
G.  A representative from a climate education nonprofit organization; 
H.  A representative from a career and technical school;
I.  A representative from the Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future 
with expertise in youth engagement or climate education; and
J.  A representative from the Department of Environmental Protection.  
The department may invite additional individuals or organizations to participate in the 
network.
§9933. Network duties and other activities 
The following provisions govern the network's duties and authority under this chapter.
1. Duties. The network shall: 
A.  Assist with transportation of students to and from environmentally focused 
activities; 
B.  Support school projects that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and best 
practices for one or more of the following: 
(1) Waste management and recycling; 
(2) Energy conservation; 
(3) Water conservation; 
(4) Schoolyard habitats; 
(5) Outdoor classrooms; 
(6) Transportation; and 
(7) Health;
C.  Support professional development;
D.  Increase the number of educators in the State who provide training to support the 
development of green schools and assist schools with becoming green schools; and 
E.  Develop common resources, trainings and metrics to support educators. 
2. Department authorized to develop grant program. The department may develop 
a program to offer grants through the network to support initiatives consistent with the 
network's duties as described in subsection 1. The department may receive support for any 
grant program developed by the department consistent with this subsection from a 
nonprofit organization in the State that supports environmental awareness, accountability 
and action through fostering youth leadership, supporting educators, prioritizing research 
and evaluation, shifting culture and advancing transformational policy.
Sec. 2.  Maine Green Schools Network to report to Legislature in 2026.  The 
Maine Green Schools Network, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, 
section 9932 shall issue a report, including any recommendations developed by the network 
for new legislation necessary to achieve the goals of the network to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education by November 4, 2026. The report must contain an update on the 
status of the following: 
1.  The schools represented within the network; 
2.  The schools supported by the network; and 
3.  The number of counties participating in the network. 
The committee may report out legislation based on the report to the 133rd Legislature 
in 2027.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the Maine Green Schools Network within the Department of 
Education to support environmental education and initiatives in public schools. 
Under the bill, the department must administer the network and invite several 
individuals and entities to participate in the network, including the director of green schools 
within the department; education specialists within the department; educators; students; 
representatives from climate education nonprofit organizations; a representative from a 
career and technical school; a representative from the Governor's Office of Policy 
Innovation and the Future; and a representative from the Department of Environmental 
Protection. 
The bill requires the network to do the following: support professional development; 
support school projects that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and best practices 
for waste management and recycling, energy conservation, water conservation, schoolyard 
habitat, outdoor classrooms, transportation or health; increase the number of educators in 
the State who provide training for green schools and develop common resources, trainings 
and metrics to support educators. Under the bill, the department is authorized to develop a 
grant program to be administered through the network in furtherance of fulfilling the 
network's duties. 
The bill requires the network to report back to the Legislature by November 4, 2026 
with findings and recommendations.