[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1306 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1306

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                July 16 (legislative day, July 15), 2013

Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Kirk, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Udall of New Mexico, 
 Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which 
  was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``No Child Left 
Inside Act of 2013''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for 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.
    TITLE II--PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Sec. 201. Amendments to title II, part B.
Sec. 202. Amendments to title IV, part B.
    TITLE III--NATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

Sec. 301. Availability of other environmental literacy information.
Sec. 302. Federal interagency coordination on environmental literacy.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that:
            (1) Children and young adults are increasingly disconnected 
        from the natural world around them, spending less time outside 
        playing, exploring, and learning.
            (2) Play and learning in nature is important to the 
        intellectual, social, and physical development of youth.
            (3) Environmental education, as part of the formal 
        prekindergarten through grade 12 school curriculum, provides 
        opportunities for youth to get outside and learn about the 
        natural world, has positive impacts on student achievement in 
        all subjects and especially in science, reading, mathematics, 
        and social studies, and improves critical thinking skills, 
        enthusiasm for learning, stewardship, and healthy lifestyles.
            (4) By many indicators, the United States is falling behind 
        other nations in preparing students with the educational tools 
        necessary to compete for the growing opportunities in the 
        sciences, including environmental, natural resource, and 
        energy-related careers.
            (5) Reports by boards of the National Science Foundation, 
        the National Environmental Education Advisory Council, and the 
        National Council for Science and the Environment, among others, 
        have called for a systemic approach to environmental education 
        in the formal education system to improve the environmental 
        literacy of youth and better prepare students for college and 
        the 21st century workforce.
            (6) Forty-eight States have developed, or are in the 
        process of developing, environmental literacy plans to 
        effectively integrate environmental education into the 
        prekindergarten through grade 12 curriculum and ensure that 
        students graduate from high school environmentally literate. At 
        the same time, most states are aligning curricula with the 
        Common Core State Standards.
            (7) Support from the Department of Education is needed to 
        help State and local educational agencies, and the partners of 
        such agencies, implement environmental literacy plans and 
        advance State curriculum frameworks for environmental and 
        natural resource education that meets new State academic 
        content and student achievement standards and aligns with the 
        Next Generation Science Framework.
            (8) Federal science and natural resource agencies have 
        important resources, including Federal lands and laboratories, 
        content experts, data, and programs that can inform and support 
        State and local environmental literacy policies and 
        programming.

SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or a 
repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be 
considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
carry out subpart 22 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965, such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2014 and each of 
the 4 succeeding fiscal years.
    (b) Distribution.--With respect to any amount appropriated under 
subsection (a) for a fiscal year--
            (1) not less than 70 percent of such amount shall be used 
        to carry out section 5622 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 for such fiscal year; and
            (2) not more than 30 percent of such amount shall be used 
        to carry out section 5623 of such Act for such fiscal year.

                    TITLE I--ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

SEC. 101. ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY.

    Part D of title V (20 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

                  ``Subpart 22--Environmental Literacy

``SEC. 5621. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this subpart:
            ``(1) Eligible partnership.--The term `eligible 
        partnership' means a partnership that includes a local 
        educational agency and not less than 1 of the following 
        partners:
                    ``(A) A teacher preparation program at an 
                institution of higher education.
                    ``(B) The environmental or life sciences department 
                of an institution of higher education.
                    ``(C) Another local educational agency, a public 
                charter school, a public elementary school or secondary 
                school, or a consortium of such schools.
                    ``(D) A Federal, State, regional, or local 
                environmental or natural resource management agency, or 
                parks and recreation department, that has demonstrated 
                effectiveness, expertise, and experience in the field 
                of environmental literacy, including the professional 
                development of teachers.
                    ``(E) A nonprofit organization that has 
                demonstrated effectiveness, expertise, and experience 
                in the field of environmental literacy, including the 
                professional development of teachers.
            ``(2) Environmental literacy.--The term `environmental 
        literacy' means a fundamental understanding of ecological 
        principles, the systems of the natural world, and the 
        relationships and interactions between natural and man-made 
        environments.
            ``(3) Environmental literacy plan.--The term `environmental 
        literacy plan' means a plan developed, approved, or sponsored 
        by the State educational agency in consultation with State 
        environmental agencies, State environmental education 
        associations, and State natural resource agencies, and with 
        input from the public, that:
                    ``(A) Prepares students to understand ecological 
                principles, the systems of the natural world, and the 
                relationships and interactions between natural and man-
                made environments.
                    ``(B) Provides field and hands-on experiences as 
                part of the regular school curriculum and creates 
                programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles through 
                outdoor recreation and sound nutrition.
                    ``(C) Provides environmental service learning 
                opportunities.
                    ``(D) Provides targeted professional development 
                opportunities for teachers that improves the 
                teachers'--
                            ``(i) environmental and natural resource 
                        content knowledge; and
                            ``(ii) pedagogical skills in teaching about 
                        the environment, including the use of--
                                    ``(I) interdisciplinary, field-
                                based, and research-based learning; and
                                    ``(II) science, technology, 
                                engineering, and mathematics content 
                                knowledge and tools.
                    ``(E) Describes the measures the State will use to 
                assess the environmental literacy of students, 
                including--
                            ``(i) relevant State academic content 
                        standards and content areas regarding 
                        environmental education, and courses or 
                        subjects where environmental education 
                        instruction will be integrated throughout the 
                        prekindergarten through grade 12 curriculum; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) a description of the relationship of 
                        the plan to the secondary school graduation 
                        requirements of the State.
                    ``(F) Describes how the State educational agency 
                will implement the plan, in partnership with non-
                governmental organizations, Federal agencies, State 
                environmental agencies, State environmental education 
                associations, State natural resource agencies, and 
                local educational agencies, including how the State 
                educational agency will secure funding and other 
                necessary support.
                    ``(G) Is periodically updated by the State 
                educational agency not less often than every 5 years.
            ``(4) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
        need local educational agency' means a local educational 
        agency--
                    ``(A) for which not less than 20 percent of the 
                children served by the agency are children from low-
                income families;
                    ``(B) that serves not fewer than 10,000 children 
                from low-income families;
                    ``(C) that meets the eligibility requirements for 
                funding under section 6211(b); or
                    ``(D) that meets the eligibility requirements for 
                funding under section 6221(b).

``SEC. 5622. GRANTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLANS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--From amounts appropriated for this 
section, the Secretary shall award grants to States to enable the 
States to award subgrants, on a competitive basis, to eligible 
partnerships to support the implementation of the State environmental 
literacy plan.
    ``(b) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State that desires a grant under this 
        section shall submit an application to the Secretary, at such 
        time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application under this subsection 
        shall--
                    ``(A) include the State's environmental literacy 
                plan and information on the status of implementation of 
                such plan;
                    ``(B) describe how funds received under this 
                subsection will assist the State in furthering the 
                implementation of the State's environmental literacy 
                plan;
                    ``(C) describe the process the State will use to 
                make subgrants to eligible partnerships; and
                    ``(D) describe the process the State will use to 
                evaluate the impact of the activities assisted under 
                this subpart.
    ``(c) Peer Review.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) establish a peer review process to assist in the 
        review of grant applications under this section;
            ``(2) appoint individuals to the peer review process who--
                    ``(A) are representative of parents, teachers, 
                State educational agencies, State environmental 
                agencies, State natural resource agencies, local 
                educational agencies, and nongovernmental 
                organizations; and
                    ``(B) are familiar with national environmental 
                issues and the health and educational needs of 
                students; and
            ``(3) include, in the peer review process, appropriate 
        representatives from the Department of Commerce, the Department 
        of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the Environmental 
        Protection Agency, and other appropriate Federal agencies, to 
        provide environmental expertise and background for evaluation 
        of the State environmental literacy plan.
    ``(d) Administrative Expenses.--A State receiving a grant under 
this section may use not more than 2.5 percent of the grant funds for 
administrative expenses.
    ``(e) State Educational Agency Report.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each State receiving a grant under this 
        subpart shall prepare and submit an annual report to the 
        Secretary containing information about--
                    ``(A) the implementation of the environmental 
                literacy plan; and
                    ``(B) the grant activities supported under this 
                subpart.
            ``(2) Report requirements.--The report required by this 
        section shall be--
                    ``(A) in the form specified by the Secretary;
                    ``(B) based on the State's ongoing evaluation 
                activities; and
                    ``(C) made readily available to the public.
    ``(f) Subgrants Authorized.--
            ``(1) Subgrants to eligible partnerships.--From amounts 
        made available to a State educational agency under subsection 
        (a), the State educational agency shall award subgrants, on a 
        competitive basis, to eligible partnerships serving the State, 
        to enable the eligible partnerships to carry out the authorized 
        activities described in subsection (h).
            ``(2) Duration.--The State educational agency shall award 
        each subgrant under this section for a period of not more than 
        3 years.
            ``(3) Priority.--In making subgrants under this section, a 
        State shall give priority to eligible partnerships that include 
        a high-need local educational agency.
            ``(4) Supplement, not supplant.--Funds provided to an 
        eligible partnership under this section shall be used to 
        supplement, and not supplant, funds that would otherwise be 
        used for activities authorized under this section.
    ``(g) Application Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership desiring a 
        subgrant under this section shall submit an application to the 
        State educational agency, at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as the State educational agency 
        may require.
            ``(2) Contents.--Each application submitted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of teacher professional 
                development needs, with respect to the teaching and 
                learning of environmental content;
                    ``(B) an explanation of how the activities to be 
                carried out by the eligible partnership are expected to 
                improve student academic achievement and strengthen the 
                quality of environmental instruction;
                    ``(C) a description of how the activities to be 
                carried out by the eligible partnership--
                            ``(i) will be aligned with challenging 
                        State academic content standards and student 
                        academic achievement standards in environmental 
                        education, to the extent such standards exist, 
                        and with the State's environmental literacy 
                        plan; and
                            ``(ii) will advance the teaching of 
                        interdisciplinary courses that integrate the 
                        study of natural, social, and economic systems 
                        and that include strong field components in 
                        which students have the opportunity to directly 
                        experience nature through outdoor environmental 
                        learning;
                    ``(D) a description of how the activities to be 
                carried out by the eligible partnership will ensure 
                that teachers are trained in the use of field-based or 
                service learning to enable the teachers--
                            ``(i) to use the local environment and 
                        community as a resource; and
                            ``(ii) to improve student understanding of 
                        the environment and increase academic 
                        achievement;
                    ``(E) a description of--
                            ``(i) how the eligible partnership will 
                        carry out the authorized activities described 
                        in subsection (h); and
                            ``(ii) the eligible partnership's 
                        evaluation and accountability plan described in 
                        subsection (i); and
                    ``(F) a description of how the eligible partnership 
                will continue the activities funded under this section 
                after the grant period has expired.
    ``(h) Authorized Activities.--An eligible partnership shall use the 
subgrant funds provided under this section for 1 or more of the 
following activities related to elementary schools or secondary 
schools:
            ``(1) Providing targeted, job-embedded professional 
        development opportunities for teachers that improve the 
        environmental content knowledge and pedagogical skills in 
        teaching about the environment of such teachers, including in 
        the use of--
                    ``(A) interdisciplinary, research-based, and field-
                based learning; and
                    ``(B) technology in the classroom.
            ``(2) Establishing and operating environmental education 
        summer workshops or institutes, including follow-up 
        professional development, for elementary and secondary school 
        teachers, and preschool teachers, as appropriate, to improve 
        pedagogical skills and content knowledge for the teaching of 
        environmental education.
            ``(3) Developing or redesigning more rigorous environmental 
        education curricula that--
                    ``(A) are aligned with challenging State academic 
                content standards in environmental education, to the 
                extent such standards exist, and with the State 
                environmental literacy plan; and
                    ``(B) advance the teaching of interdisciplinary 
                courses that integrate the study of natural, social, 
                and economic systems and that include strong field 
                components.
            ``(4) Designing programs to prepare teachers at a school to 
        provide mentoring and professional development to other 
        teachers at such school to improve teacher environmental 
        education content knowledge and pedagogical skills.
            ``(5) Establishing and operating programs to bring teachers 
        and students into contact with working professionals in 
        environmental fields to deepen such teachers' knowledge of 
        environmental content and research practices.
            ``(6) Creating initiatives that seek to incorporate 
        environmental education within teacher training programs or 
        accreditation standards consistent with the State environmental 
        literacy plan.
            ``(7) Promoting the integration of outdoor environmental 
        education lessons into the regular school curriculum and 
        schedule in order to further the knowledge and professional 
        development of teachers and help students directly experience 
        nature.
    ``(i) Evaluation and Accountability Plan.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each eligible partnership receiving a 
        subgrant under this section shall develop an evaluation and 
        accountability plan for activities assisted under this section 
        that includes rigorous objectives that measure the impact of 
        such activities.
            ``(2) Contents.--The plan developed under paragraph (1) 
        shall include measurable objectives to increase the number of 
        teachers who participate in environmental education content-
        based professional development activities.
    ``(j) Report by Eligible Partnerships.--Each eligible partnership 
receiving a subgrant under this section shall report annually, for each 
year of the subgrant, to the State educational agency regarding the 
eligible partnership's progress in meeting the objectives described in 
the accountability plan of the eligible partnership under subsection 
(i).

``SEC. 5623. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP BUILD 
              NATIONAL CAPACITY.

    ``(a) Purposes.--The purposes of this section are--
            ``(1) to strengthen environmental education as an integral 
        part of the elementary school and secondary school curriculum; 
        and
            ``(2) to disseminate information about best practices and 
        resources available to support environmental literacy programs.
    ``(b) Grant Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to 
        enable the eligible partnerships to pay the Federal share of 
        the costs of activities under this section.
            ``(2) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be for 
        a period of not less than 1 year and not more than 3 years.
            ``(3) Priority.--In making grants under this section, the 
        Secretary shall give priority to eligible partnerships that 
        include a high-need local educational agency.
    ``(c) Applications.--Each eligible partnership desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application that 
contains--
            ``(1) a plan to initiate, expand, or improve environmental 
        education programs in order to make progress toward meeting--
                    ``(A) challenging State academic content standards 
                and student academic achievement standards in 
                environmental education, to the extent such standards 
                exist; and
                    ``(B) academic standards that are aligned with the 
                State's environmental literacy plan; and
            ``(2) an evaluation and accountability plan for activities 
        assisted under this section that includes rigorous objectives 
        that measure the impact of activities funded under this 
        section.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--Grant funds made available under this section 
shall be used for 1 or more of the following:
            ``(1) Developing and implementing State curriculum 
        frameworks for environmental education that meet--
                    ``(A) challenging State academic content standards 
                and student academic achievement standards for 
                environmental education, to the extent such standards 
                exist; and
                    ``(B) academic standards that are aligned with the 
                State's environmental literacy plan under section 5622.
            ``(2) Replicating or disseminating information about proven 
        and tested model environmental education programs that--
                    ``(A) use the environment as an integrating theme 
                or content throughout the curriculum; or
                    ``(B) provide integrated, interdisciplinary 
                instruction about natural, social, and economic systems 
                along with field experience that provides students with 
                opportunities to directly experience nature in ways 
                designed to improve students' overall academic 
                performance, personal health (including addressing 
                child obesity issues), and understanding of nature.
            ``(3) Developing and implementing new approaches to 
        advancing environmental education, and to advancing the 
        adoption and use of environmental education content standards, 
        at the State and local levels.
    ``(e) Eligible Partnership Report.--In order to continue receiving 
grant funds under this section after the first year of a multiyear 
grant under this section, the eligible partnership shall submit to the 
Secretary an annual report that--
            ``(1) describes the activities assisted under this section 
        that were conducted during the preceding year;
            ``(2) demonstrates that progress has been made in helping 
        schools to meet the State academic standards for environmental 
        education described in subsection (d)(3); and
            ``(3) describes the results of the eligible partnership's 
        evaluation and accountability plan.
    ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of a grant under 
        this section shall not exceed--
                    ``(A) 90 percent of the total costs of the 
                activities assisted under the grant for the first year 
                for which the program receives assistance under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) 75 percent of such costs for each of the 
                second and third years.
            ``(2) Administrative expenses.--Not more than 7.5 percent 
        of the grant funds made available to an eligible partnership 
        under this section for any fiscal year may be used for 
        administrative expenses.
            ``(3) Availability of funds.--Amounts made available to the 
        Secretary to carry out this section shall remain available 
        until expended.
    ``(g) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this 
section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, any other 
Federal, State, or local funds available for environmental education 
activities.

``SEC. 5624. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the No 
Child Left Inside Act of 2013 and every 2 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that--
            ``(1) describes the programs assisted under this subpart;
            ``(2) documents the success of such programs in improving 
        national and State environmental education capacity; and
            ``(3) makes such recommendations as the Secretary 
        determines appropriate for the continuation and improvement of 
        the programs assisted under this subpart.''.

    TITLE II--PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS

SEC. 201. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE II, PART B.

            (1) Section 2201(b)(1)(B) (20 U.S.C. 6661(b)(1)(B)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in clause (iii) by striking ``or'';
                    (B) in clause (iv) by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(v) a Federal, State, regional, or local 
                        science, environmental, or natural resource 
                        management agency or a nonprofit environmental 
                        education organization that has demonstrated 
                        effectiveness in improving the quality of 
                        mathematics and science instruction.''.
            (2) Section 2202 (20 U.S.C. 6662) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by inserting ``, 
                including any State environmental literacy plan 
                described in section 5621,'' after ``reform 
                activities''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
                following:
            ``(11) Professional development in the use of field-based 
        or service learning to enable teachers--
                    ``(A) to use the local environment and community as 
                a resource; and
                    ``(B) to enhance student understanding of 
                mathematics and science through environmental 
                education.''.

SEC. 202. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE IV, PART B.

            (1) Section 4201(b)(1)(A) (20 U.S.C. 7171(b)(1)(A)) is 
        amended by inserting ``environmental literacy,'' after 
        ``technology''.
            (2) Section 4205(a) (20 U.S.C. 7175(a)) is amended--
                    (A) by inserting the following after paragraph (3):
            ``(4) environmental literacy activities;''; and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) through (12) as 
                paragraphs (5) through (13), respectively.

                     TITLE III--NATIONAL ACTIVITIES

SEC. 301. AVAILABILITY OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY INFORMATION.

    (a) Nondepartmental Environmental Literacy Assistance Programs.--
The Secretary of Education shall request that all Federal departments 
and agencies provide information on any environmental literacy 
assistance program operated, sponsored, or supported by such Federal 
department or agency, including information about the application 
procedures, financial terms and conditions, and other relevant 
information for each program, and each Federal department or agency 
shall promptly respond to surveys or other requests from the Secretary 
of Education for the information described in this subsection.
    (b) Public Information.--The Secretary of Education shall ensure 
that not later than 90 days after the Secretary of Education receives 
the information required under subsection (a), the eligibility 
requirements, application procedures, financial terms and conditions, 
and other relevant information for each nondepartmental environmental 
literacy assistance program are searchable and accessible through the 
Department of Education's website and cross-referenced with the United 
States Green Ribbon School application information, in a manner that is 
simple and understandable for school districts and communities.

SEC. 302. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall coordinate 
environmental literacy activities between the Department of Education, 
the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, 
and the Department of Commerce, including by carrying out the 
activities described in subsection (b).
    (b) Coordination Activities.--In coordinating environmental 
literacy activities, the Secretary of Education shall--
            (1) assess current Federal environmental education 
        programs, goals, and budget items across agencies;
            (2) assess environment-based science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics (referred to as ``eSTEM'') 
        achievement to demonstrate that learning about and in the 
        environment is an effective strategy for increasing engagement 
        in learning and academic achievement in science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics (referred to as ``STEM'') subject 
        areas; and
            (3) produce adaptable environmental literacy plan 
        guidelines and identify coordinated resources across Federal 
        agencies that States and local educational agencies can follow 
        as States and local educational agencies work to develop 
        environmental literacy plans and programs of their own.
    (c) Advisory Panel.--The Secretary of Education shall appoint an 
advisory panel of stakeholders, including representatives from State 
educational agencies, local educational agencies, businesses, and 
nonprofit organizations that are engaged in local environmental 
literacy efforts representing the geographic, economic, and cultural 
diversity of the country, who shall meet quarterly to advise and 
support interagency planning and assessment regarding environmental 
literacy activities.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Education, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Commerce shall 
prepare and submit a joint report to Congress containing information 
about the coordination of environmental literacy activities between 
Federal agencies.
                                 <all>