[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 16, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S5712]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REED (for himself, Mr. Kirk, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Udall of New 
        Mexico, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Durbin):
  S. 1306. 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; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I am reintroducing bipartisan 
legislation to provide support for environmental education in our 
Nation's classrooms. I thank Senators Kirk, Murray, Tom Udall, Durbin, 
and Whitehouse for agreeing to be original cosponsors of the No Child 
Left Inside Act of 2013.
  According to the National Association for Environmental Education, 47 
states and the District of Columbia have taken steps towards developing 
plans to integrate environmental literacy into their statewide 
educational initiatives. In Rhode Island, organizations such as the 
Rhode Island Environmental Education Association, Roger Williams Park 
Zoo, Save the Bay, the Nature Conservancy, and the Audubon Society, as 
well as countless schools and teachers, are offering educational and 
outdoor experiences that many children may never otherwise have, 
helping inspire them to learn. In partnership with the Rhode Island 
Department of Education, these organizations have developed a statewide 
environmental literacy plan that is now being put into action.
  Given the major environmental challenges we face today, our bill 
seeks to prioritize teaching our young people about their natural 
world. For more than three decades, environmental education has been a 
growing part of effective instruction in America's schools. Responding 
to the need to improve student achievement and prepare students for the 
21st century economy, many schools throughout the Nation now offer some 
form of environmental education.
  Yet, environmental education is facing a significant challenge, and 
remains out of reach for too many children. With many schools being 
forced to scale back or eliminate environmental programs, fewer and 
fewer students are able to take part in related classroom instruction 
and field investigations, however effective or in demand these programs 
are.
  The No Child Left Inside Act would increase environmental literacy 
among elementary and secondary students by encouraging and providing 
assistance to states for the development and implementation of 
environmental literacy plans and promoting professional development for 
teachers on how to integrate environmental literacy and field 
experiences into their instruction.
  The legislation would also support partnerships with high-need school 
districts to initiate, expand, or improve their environmental education 
curriculum, and for replication and dissemination of effective 
practices. Finally, the legislation would support interagency 
coordination and reporting on environmental education opportunities 
across the Federal Government. This legislation has broad support among 
national and State environmental and educational groups.
  The American public recognizes that the environment is a central 
issue to our future health and well-being. In the private sector, 
business leaders also increasingly believe that an environmentally 
literate workforce is critical to their long-term success. They 
recognize that better, more efficient environmental practices improve 
the bottom line and help position their companies for the future.
  Environmental education helps prepare the next generation with the 
skills and knowledge necessary to be competitive in the global economy. 
Studies have shown that it enhances student achievement in science and 
other core subjects and increases student engagement and critical 
thinking skills. And it promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging kids 
to get outside.
  That is why I encourage my colleagues to cosponsor the bipartisan No 
Child Left Inside Act and to join with Senator Kirk and me to include 
its provisions into the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act.

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