Looking to understand policy timelines? Review the prompts in this resource and investigate key policy moments and timelines in your state or school district. Discover the right questions to ask about session schedules, budget cycles, school board relationships, and the roles of the state legislature.

Go through these infographics to learn more about state climate education policies. Each infographic will give you an overview of each policy and information about its target audience, coalition, funding, and impact. Some of the policies included in this list are: 

• California Environmental Education: Environmental Principles and Concepts
• Maine LD 1902: A Resolve To Establish a Pilot Program To Encourage Climate Education in Maine Public Schools
• New Jersey FY 2023 Appropriations Act: Climate Change Education Grants to Schools & Office of Climate Change Education
• Washington ClimeTime: Science Teacher Professional Development

Go through these infographics to learn more about state climate education resolutions, policies, and climate action plans. Each infographic will give you an overview of each policy and information about its target audience, coalition, funding, and impact. Some of the policies included in this list are: 

• Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Climate Literacy Resolution
• Iowa City Community School District Resolution: Climate Change through Clean Energy, Sustainability, & Education
• Montgomery County Public Schools Sustainability Policy
• Portland Pubic School (PPS) Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice and Sustainable Practices Policy
• Woodland Hills School District Call to Climate Action Resolution

In short, the key findings led to the five recommendations:

1. Increase the quality and quantity of climate change content across all education policies, including addressing all institutional domains and holistic learning dimensions and in all subjects. 

2. Update and increase the number of statewide environmental literacy plans.

3. Include a stronger focus on climate justice, climate action, and Indigenous knowledge in all education policies.

4. Include a focus on both climate change mitigation and adaptation in all education policies.

5. Provide policy support, such as funding, professional development, and staffing to help advance enactment of climate change education policy. 

The report begins by making the case for climate change education through four talking points:

• Talking point 1: Parents, students, and administrators are calling for increased climate education.
• Talking point 2: Climate change education in schools is essential to helping communities and our nation act to mitigate and adapt to the changing world.
• Talking point 3: Climate change education in schools will help our young people prepare for 21st century jobs and careers. 
• Talking point 4: Climate change education in our schools will increase national security.

In addition, you will find chapters on Crafting Language and Messaging for a Climate Change Education Bill, Essential Elements of a State Climate Change Education Bill, A Model Climate Change Education Bill, and Examples of States with Successful Climate Change Education Legislation. 

This template serves as a School Board Resolution on Climate Resilience and Sustainability. It provides sample language and structure that can be customized to fit your specific context. Additionally, the template includes links to examples of adopted resolutions for reference:

• Dallas ISD – Adopted February 2020
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools – Adopted April 2021
• Portland Public Schools – Adopted March 2022
• Salt Lake City – Adopted June 2020
• San Diego Unified School District – Adopted April 2023

This resource provides access to a template resolution and offers straightforward steps to help you pass a School Board Climate Action Resolution, including:

1. Go online and find your school board members’ email addresses on your school district’s website.
2. Use the Model School Board Resolution to draft a climate action resolution for your school board to pass.
3. Use the School Board Outreach Email Template to draft an email to your school board members.
4. If they say yes...
5. If they say no or don’t respond to your email...
6. Speak during the open comment portion of the meeting.

And more!