The No Child Left Behind Act Meets the No Child Left Inside Act

A renewed national interest in environmental issues from global climate change to energy and resource conservation is starting to take hold in the halls of Congress. The question of what we are doing to educate young people about the environment and foster a connection with nature is a key, but often overlooked, element of these efforts.
 
Legislation that addresses elementary and secondary education known as The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is expiring this year, presenting Congress and the president an opportunity to help integrate environmental education into school curriculums. The No Child Left Inside Act, H.R. 3036 and S. 1981, introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and in the Senate by Senator Jack Reed, aims to increase and improve K–12 environmental education programs and funding. The bill is supported by a diverse coalition of organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the National Recreation and Park Association in addition to ASLA.
 
One unintended consequence of the math- and reading-focused NCLB has been the abandonment of environmental education. Teachers working hard to meet state testing standards are forced to bypass environmental science and critical hands-on field study when they do not appear to relate directly to state tests. Lack of funding has also crippled environmental education programs. The National Environmental Education Act, the primary source of federal support for K–12 environmental education, provided only $6.6 million last year, an average of only $132,000 per state.
 
The No Child Left Inside Act would offer states incentives to develop environmental literacy plans and integrate environmental education across their K–12 curriculums. It would also increase funding for teacher training to ensure that teachers have the skills and knowledge necessary to deliver high-quality environmental education. These initiatives will help create a sense of environmental stewardship in young people and provide them with the tools they need to understand and address the challenges of protecting the environment.
 
Providing students the opportunity to learn from direct experience in nature is an important aspect in academic and personal development. The No Child Left Inside Act would encourage teachers to use the local environment as an extension of the classroom and help combat “nature deficit disorder,” a term used by journalist Richard Louv in Last Child in the Woods to describe the increasing occurrence of stress and behavioral difficulties in young people who spend too little time outdoors. Passage ofThe No Child Left Inside Act, as part of the education reauthorization, would ensure that schools have the resources, incentives, and training necessary to develop and implement comprehensive environmental education programs.
 
ASLA is launching a campaign to support this legislation and will be sending an alert to members encouraging them to take action later this week. You can get involved now by contacting your elected officials and asking them to cosponsor and support The No Child Left Inside Act. If you have questions about this legislation or have not been receiving emails from the Advocacy Network, please contact Government Affairs Coordinator Dan Lijana at dlijana@asla.org.