[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1239 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1239

                   To promote environmental literacy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 20, 2023

  Mr. Reed (for himself, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Merkley) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                   To promote environmental literacy.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Hands-on experiences in nature help build stronger, 
        smarter, and happier children.
            (2) Children and young adults are increasingly disconnected 
        from the natural world around them, spending less time outside 
        playing, exploring, and learning.
            (3) Quality education for students includes regular 
        opportunities to make connections outside of the classroom.
            (4) Environmental education, when integrated across the 
        curriculum, has positive impacts on the development of 
        important skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, 
        and citizenship and leadership skills.
            (5) Every student should have the opportunity to 
        participate in residential outdoor education programs or 
        comparable outdoor education programs.
            (6) Outdoor and environmental education programs have been 
        shown to build critical thinking skills and leadership skills, 
        and can improve student attendance and retention rates.
            (7) Colleges, universities, and higher education 
        associations play a critical role in cultivating the next 
        generation of scientists, engineers, educators, planners, and 
        business leaders for 21st century careers in the public and 
        private sectors.
            (8) Environmental education, as part of the formal 
        prekindergarten through grade 12 school curriculum, 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.
            (9) The Partnership for 21st Century Learning identified 
        environmental literacy as one of the key interdisciplinary 
        themes critical to helping students to acquire the skills, 
        knowledge, and expertise necessary to succeed in work and life.
            (10) The Programme for International Student Assessment 
        (PISA) rankings find that 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 careers related to the environment, natural 
        resources, and energy.
            (11) Forty-six 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 to ensure that students 
        graduate from high school environmentally literate.
            (12) 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.
            (13) Federal science agencies, natural resource agencies, 
        and other 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. ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY.

    Title IV (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding at the end the following:

                    ``PART G--ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

``SEC. 4701. DEFINITIONS.

    ``In this part:
            ``(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 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.
                    ``(B) A nonprofit organization that has 
                demonstrated effectiveness, expertise, and experience 
                in the field of environmental literacy, including the 
                professional development of teachers, such as--
                            ``(i) museums, as defined in section 273 of 
                        the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 
                        9172);
                            ``(ii) a teacher preparation program at an 
                        institution of higher education;
                            ``(iii) the environmental or life sciences 
                        department of an institution of higher 
                        education;
                            ``(iv) another local educational agency, a 
                        public charter school, a public elementary 
                        school or secondary school, or a consortium of 
                        such schools;
                            ``(v) nature centers; or
                            ``(vi) organizations with environmental 
                        education programming.
            ``(2) Environmental literacy.--The term `environmental 
        literacy' means--
                    ``(A) a fundamental understanding of ecological 
                principles, the systems of the natural world, the 
                relationships and interactions between natural and man-
                made environments, and the skills to apply such 
                understanding in real-world settings; and
                    ``(B) having the ability, both individually and 
                together with others, to make informed decisions 
                concerning the environment, having the will to act on 
                those decisions to improve the well-being of other 
                individuals, societies, and the global environment, and 
                participating in civic life.
            ``(3) Environmental literacy plan.--The term `environmental 
        literacy plan' means a plan developed, approved, or sponsored 
        by a 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, and to apply such knowledge in real-
                world settings;
                    ``(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 improve--
                            ``(i) environmental and natural resource 
                        content knowledge of teachers;
                            ``(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; and
                            ``(iii) the ability and confidence to use 
                        school buildings and grounds as a context for 
                        learning;
                    ``(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 the outdoor learning spaces the 
                State makes available to local educational agencies;
                    ``(G) describes how the State educational agency 
                will implement the plan, in partnership with 
                nongovernmental 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;
                    ``(H) is periodically updated by the State 
                educational agency not less often than every 5 years;
                    ``(I) utilizes school buildings and grounds as a 
                context for learning;
                    ``(J) describes teacher professional development 
                needs; and
                    ``(K) develops and describes a plan to adopt best 
                management practices for early childhood environmental 
                education, including guidelines for time outdoors, 
                outdoor space design, and learning context.
            ``(4) High-need local educational agency.--The term `high-
        need local educational agency' means a local educational 
        agency--
                    ``(A) with respect to 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 5211(b); or
                    ``(D) that meets the eligibility requirements for 
                funding under section 5221(b).
            ``(5) High-need school.--The term `high-need school' means 
        a public elementary school or secondary school that is located 
        in an area in which the percentage of students from families 
        with incomes below the poverty line is 30 percent or more.
            ``(6) Outdoor school education program.--The term `outdoor 
        school education program' means a multi-day educational program 
        that delivers outdoor hands-on learning experiences, and that--
                    ``(A) addresses community needs and contexts;
                    ``(B) takes place in a residential or day program 
                setting;
                    ``(C) provides field study opportunities for 
                students;
                    ``(D) is integrated with local school curricula and 
                support students in meeting State standards; and
                    ``(E) provides students with opportunities to 
                develop leadership, critical thinking, and problem-
                solving skills.

``SEC. 4702. GRANTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLANS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--From amounts appropriated to carry out 
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 
                section 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 section.
    ``(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 
        section 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 
                section.
            ``(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) a description of how the eligible partnership 
                will utilize school facilities and grounds as tools for 
                teaching and learning of environmental content;
                    ``(C) 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;
                    ``(D) 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 under section 
                        1111(b)(1) 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;
                    ``(E) 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;
                    ``(F) 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
                    ``(G) 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 
        teachers' environmental content knowledge and pedagogical 
        skills in teaching about the environment, 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.
            ``(8) Creating or improving outdoor learning spaces on 
        school grounds.
    ``(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).
    ``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for fiscal year 2024 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.

``SEC. 4703. OUTDOOR SCHOOL EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Grants Authorized.--From funds appropriated to carry out this 
section, the Secretary shall make grants to eligible partnerships to 
establish or expand outdoor school education programs.
    ``(b) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--An eligible partnership 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 describe the outdoor school education program to be 
        carried out and how such program will--
                    ``(A) improve student academic achievement as 
                defined in the State plan under section 1111(c);
                    ``(B) promote the development of leadership skills;
                    ``(C) increase student engagement in education;
                    ``(D) improve critical thinking skills;
                    ``(E) provide opportunities for civic engagement 
                and service learning;
                    ``(F) address inequities of outdoor educational 
                opportunities for underserved children in the State; 
                and
                    ``(G) improve student access to, and success in, 
                well-rounded educational experiences.
    ``(c) Priority.--The Secretary shall give priority to applicants 
that propose to serve high-need schools.
    ``(d) Geographic Diversity.--In making awards under this section, 
the Secretary shall ensure that grants are awarded to eligible 
partnerships serving urban, rural, and suburban local educational 
agencies.
    ``(e) Required Uses of Funds.--Eligible partnerships awarded grants 
under this section shall use such funds for outdoor school education 
programs that--
            ``(1) provide a residential, hands-on educational 
        experience, or an equivalent combination of classroom-based and 
        outdoor educational experience, that reflects local community 
        needs and contexts, featuring field study opportunities for 
        students, which may include learning about--
                    ``(A) soil, water, plants, and animals;
                    ``(B) the role of natural resources industries, 
                including timber, agriculture, fisheries, and others, 
                in the economy of the State;
                    ``(C) the interrelationship of nature, natural 
                resources, economic development, and career 
                opportunities in the State; and
                    ``(D) the importance of the State's environmental 
                and natural resources;
            ``(2) are integrated with local school curricula in a 
        manner that assists students in meeting State standards related 
        to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and 
        international standards related to science;
            ``(3) provide students with opportunities to develop 
        leadership, critical thinking, and decisionmaking skills;
            ``(4) provide students with opportunities to learn about 
        the interdependence of urban and rural areas; and
            ``(5) provide professional development for educators to 
        effectively implement outdoor school education programs.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for fiscal year 2024 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.

``SEC. 4704. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    ``Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the No 
Child Left Inside Act of 2023 and every 2 years thereafter, the 
Secretary shall submit a report to Congress that--
            ``(1) describes the programs assisted under this part;
            ``(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 part.''.

SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

    The table of contents in section 2 is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 4644 the following:

                    ``PART G--Environmental Literacy

``Sec. 4701. Definitions.
``Sec. 4702. Grants for implementation of environmental literacy plans.
``Sec. 4703. Outdoor school education pilot program.
``Sec. 4704. Report to Congress.''.

SEC. 5. AVAILABILITY OF OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY INFORMATION.

    (a) Other Federal Agency Environmental Literacy Assistance 
Programs.--The Secretary of Education shall request that all Federal 
agencies provide information on any environmental literacy assistance 
program operated, sponsored, or supported by such Federal agency, 
including information about the application procedures, financial terms 
and conditions, and other relevant information for each program, and 
each Federal 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 environmental literacy 
assistance program offered by another Federal agency 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 local 
educational agencies and communities.

SEC. 6. FEDERAL INTERAGENCY COORDINATION ON ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall coordinate 
environmental literacy activities between the Department of Education, 
the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, and 
the Department of Commerce, the Department of Health and Human 
Services, the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Museum and 
Library Services, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, 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 Federal environmental education programs, goals, 
        and budget items across agencies;
            (2) assess environment-based science, technology, 
        engineering, and mathematics 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 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 United States, 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.
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