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Coalition intensifies efforts to rewrite No Child Left Behind Act

For the latest details see the No Child Left Inside Coalition Website. You can help ensure the success of this initiative. Join the list of supporters. Contact your members of Congress. Tell your stories about environmental education. Learn more about how you can help. Please take action today and encourage your members of Congress to support the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007.

From the Audubon Naturalist Society

Representative John P. Sarbanes (MD-3) met with students and coalition members today at Woodend Nature Sanctuary, headquarters of the Audubon Naturalist Society. Outlining next steps, he renewed the call on Congress to pass legislation that would resuscitate environmental education in American classrooms and prepare future citizens to be knowledgeable and responsible stewards of the environment. As part of the No Child Left Inside Coalition, ANS invited the congressman and other coalition members to meet with the principal and a group of students of Westland Middle School.

"Thanks to the efforts of the Coalition, the No Child Left Inside legislation is gaining momentum in the House of Representatives, said Rep. Sarbanes. "And as a concept and a movement it is gaining strong support across the country. We still have a long way to go, but in a short amount of time weÕve made significant strides in ensuring that the rewrite of the No Child Left Behind law wonÕt deny our nationÕs children the opportunity to get outside, learn about their natural resources and prepare to become tomorrowÕs environmental stewards."

"The coalition is also going from strength to strength," said Gary Heath, Former Assistant. State Superintendent. Maryland State Department of Education. "We have been successful in including environmental education in the 2007 Miller-McKeon Draft of No Child Left Behind. Our broad and diverse membership will continue to push for the adoption of all the NCLI amendments where they are needed."

The NCLI Coalition now comprises almost 60 organizations representing over 10 million members who support legislation (HR 3606) sponsored in the House by U.S. Rep. John P. Sarbanes that would amend the No Child Left Behind law to provide new federal funding for environmental education and give states incentives to improve environmental instruction. Similar legislation was recently introduced in the senate by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI).

"Audubon Naturalist Society has a longstanding commitment to environmental education," said ANS Executive Director Neal Fitzpatrick. "Without adequate knowledge, this next generation will be ill-equipped to protect their environment and vital natural resources upon which all life depends." The students from Westland School are part of ANSÕs GreenKids program, which helps teachers incorporate environmental education into their existing curriculum. "Our support of NCLI is unequivocal," said Fitzpatrick. "It will enable our naturalists to go into more classrooms and reach more children."

For more information about the No Child Left Inside Coalition visit www.eenclb.org

Congressman Sarbanes introduces No Child Left Inside Act

From the National Recreation and Park Association

Ask Your Representative to Become a Co-Sponsor of the "No Child Left Inside" Act of 2007

Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) has introduced the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 (H.R. 3036). Download the text of the Act (pdf 92 kb). The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) encourages advocates to encourage their Representatives to co-sponsor this legislation. This bill will include critical environmental education measures in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as "No Child Left Behind." Please encourage your Representative to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation!

Children and youth are losing touch with nature and the outdoors at an alarming rate. With the nation facing complicated environmental issues that will challenge us for years to come, it is critical that school systems, in partnership with local park and recreation agencies and other organizational partners, provide students with a solid environmental education. However, because of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), many schools are scaling back or eliminating environmental education programs and even recess. Congress has the opportunity to change this with the reauthorization of NCLB.

The language in the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 (NCLI) recommends including environmental education initiatives in NCLB by:

• Providing incentives for state educational agencies to create a State Environmental Literacy Plan for integrating environmental education into their K-12 curriculum to ensure that graduates are environmentally literate.
• Providing funding to help states, schools systems, and environmental education partners to implement the State Environmental Literacy Plan.
• Creating opportunities to improve teacher training, including field-based training in environmental education and connecting children with nature.

No Child Left Inside recognizes the value of providing quality educational experiences for teachers and students alike to learn about the environment and nature outdoors and in the field.

Take Action:

Please call your U.S. Representative, via the US Capitol switch board at 202-225-3121. Once connected to your legislator's office ask to speak to the staffer that handles education issues. Identify yourself and your interest in parks, recreation, and environmental education. Request that your representative sign-on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 3036, the proposed No Child Left Inside Act.

For additional information contact NRPA Public Policy at 202-887-0290, or email mphillips@nrpa.org.

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