This article discusses how researchers analyzed data from 1,453 Maryland public schools over two decades (2002-2022) to examine whether Green School designation relates to student science achievement. The Maryland Green Schools Program, launched in 1999, requires schools to demonstrate a "green culture" through sustainable practices like energy reduction, habitat restoration, and environmental curriculum integration. Schools must commit to maintaining these initiatives for at least 12 years and ensure 10% of teaching staff receive environmental education professional development.
Key Findings
Overall Positive Impact: Schools with Green School designation scored higher on state science assessments compared to non-Green schools, with benefits accumulating over time. Each additional year of Green School status was associated with modest but statistically significant improvements in science proficiency.
Equity Concerns: The study revealed troubling disparities in who benefits from Green School initiatives:
• Schools serving economically advantaged populations (low rates of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals) saw significant science achievement gains that increased with each year of Green School status
• Schools with average poverty rates experienced negligible effects
• Schools serving high-poverty populations actually saw declining science performance the longer they maintained
Green School status
Changing Demographics: Early Green School adopters primarily served more affluent, less academically diverse populations. While the program has expanded to reach more economically and linguistically diverse students in recent years, the achievement benefits have not followed this expansion equitably.
Implications for Environmental Educators
Resource and Support Needs: The differential outcomes suggest that schools serving high-need populations may require more intensive support, resources, and different approaches to successfully implement Green School initiatives. Urban schools with limited green space may face particular challenges in connecting environmental programming to natural settings.
Implementation Matters: The study highlights the need to examine not just whether schools adopt Green School practices, but how the intensity, scope, and integration of these practices varies across different student populations and settings.
Systemic Barriers: Environmental educators and program leaders should recognize that schools serving disadvantaged communities may face additional barriers to effective Green School implementation, including limited outdoor recreation opportunities, poor air quality, and resource constraints that require targeted solutions.
Moving Forward
While Green Schools show promise for enhancing science achievement through hands-on, inquiry-driven environmental education, the findings underscore that simply adopting Green School status is not enough. Environmental educators must work to ensure that all students—regardless of socioeconomic background—can access and benefit from quality environmental education. This may require developing more intensive support systems, addressing resource disparities, and creating innovative approaches for urban and high-need school settings.
The study reinforces that environmental education can support academic achievement while building environmental literacy, but achieving equitable outcomes requires intentional attention to how programs are implemented across diverse school contexts.
The Bottom Line
This 20-year study of Maryland's Green School Program found that schools with environmental initiatives generally achieve higher science test scores, with benefits increasing over time. However, the positive effects are strongest in schools serving more economically advantaged students, while schools with high rates of students eligible for free/reduced-price meals saw little to no benefit from Green School status.