[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5484 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5484
To strengthen and expand the Green Ribbon Schools Program at the
Department of Education by boosting the capacity of participating
States to expand the number of engaged schools, applicants, and
nominees, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 14, 2023
Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Norton, Mr.
Thompson of Mississippi, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr.
Sarbanes, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. McClellan, Mr. Bowman, Mr. Davis of
Illinois, Ms. Adams, Mr. Trone, and Ms. Lee of California) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education
and the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To strengthen and expand the Green Ribbon Schools Program at the
Department of Education by boosting the capacity of participating
States to expand the number of engaged schools, applicants, and
nominees, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Green Ribbon Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. GREEN RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) ESEA definitions.--The terms ``elementary school'',
``local educational agency'', ``secondary school'',
``Secretary'', and ``State educational agency'' have the
meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
elementary school, secondary school, school funded or operated
by the Bureau of Indian Education, local educational agency, or
institution of higher education.
(3) Environmentally literate.--The term ``environmentally
literate'', when used with respect to an individual, means the
capacity to--
(A) perceive and interpret the relative health of
environmental systems and the interrelationships
between natural, economic, and social systems and
technology; and
(B) assess options and take appropriate action to
maintain, restore, or improve the health of the
environmental systems and promote sustainable
development.
(4) Green ribbon pillars.--The term ``Green Ribbon
pillars'' means the following 3 interrelated aspirational
goals:
(A) 100 percent of the graduates of the eligible
entity or the schools served by the eligible entity are
environmentally literate.
(B) The environmental impacts of the eligible
entity's buildings, grounds, and operations are
targeting significant emission reductions with a long-
term goal of 100 percent reduction.
(C) The eligible entity has a net positive impact
on the environmental health of its students and staff.
(5) Green ribbon school award winner.--The term ``Green
Ribbon School award winner'' means an eligible entity that has
received an award of recognition from the Department of
Education for high performance in making progress toward all 3
of the Green Ribbon pillars, in accordance with subsection
(b)(4).
(6) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(b) Green Ribbon School Program of the Department of Education.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct a program,
which shall be known as the ``Green Ribbon Schools Program'',
to reach and engage more schools by--
(A) encouraging eligible entities to implement the
Green Ribbon pillars;
(B) recognizing high performance in the Green
Ribbon pillars by eligible entities, through voluntary
partnership with States;
(C) increasing the number of participating local
educational agencies and schools that are receiving
resources from the program, including those not
pursuing an award on the date of enactment of this Act;
(D) engaging with public and private stakeholders
to maximize positive impact; and
(E) supporting schools in implementing measures to
reduce energy and water use and costs, increase
resilience, increase environmental literacy, and
improve indoor air and other conditions for health and
wellness.
(2) Update.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
conduct a review and update the criteria for the Green
Ribbon school award winner program, including scoring,
which shall include--
(i) ensuring that health and wellness
criteria align with programs of the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention and are
associated with benefitting student health,
thinking, and the ability to learn;
(ii) ensuring that environmental criteria
emphasize the role of schools in mitigating and
adapting to climate change, including school
resiliency to natural disasters; and
(iii) ensuring that environmental and
sustainability literacy criteria encourage
applicants to identify methods of assessment of
student knowledge and skills and set goals for
literacy among graduates.
(B) Federal register.--The Secretary shall publish
in the Federal Register the final updated criteria for
the Green Ribbon school award winner program and shall
allow for, and address, any public comments related to
the updated criteria.
(3) Grants and awards.--In conducting the Green Ribbon
Schools Program, the Secretary shall, from the amounts made
available to carry out this Act--
(A) reserve not less than $250,000 for the
Secretary of Interior to carry out the activities under
subsection (c)(7) with respect to schools operated or
funded by the Bureau of Indian Education;
(B) award grants to State educational agencies
under subsection (c); and
(C) provide an honorarium to each Green Ribbon
School award winner in an amount equal to $10,000,
subject to appropriations.
(4) Studies, research, and surveys.--The Secretary may
conduct studies, research, and surveys to inform the Green
Ribbon Schools Program.
(5) Green ribbon school awards.--Each year, regardless of
whether funds are available for the honoraria described in
paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall--
(A) establish a process through which--
(i) State educational agencies may nominate
eligible entities for recognition of high
performance in making progress toward all 3 of
the Green Ribbon pillars; and
(ii) the Secretary of the Interior,
operating through the Bureau of Indian
Education, may nominate eligible entities that
are schools operated or funded by the Bureau
for such recognition; and
(B) award the Green Ribbon School award to
nominated eligible entities that the Secretary
determines have shown high performance in making
progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
(6) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the
Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to
align the Green Ribbon Schools Program with the science on
school environments and school health cited by the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
(7) Reports.--
(A) Annual reports.--
(i) In general.--Not later than November 1,
2023, and annually thereafter, the Secretary
shall publish a report describing the Green
Ribbon Schools Program of the prior fiscal
year.
(ii) Content of annual reports.--Each
annual report described in clause (i) shall--
(I) describe the activities and
outcomes of the Department of Education
and State grant award winners,
including the uses of grant funds to
reach and engage additional schools,
and the successes and challenges of the
Green Ribbon Schools Program;
(II) describe the plan of State
grant award winners to extend
opportunities to become a Green Ribbon
School award winner to schools that are
eligible to receive funds under part A
of title I of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) or other schools
that are low-income schools, schools in
disadvantaged or rural or remote
communities, or schools that serve a
significant number of students with
disabilities; and
(III) provide a proposed plan for
the following year.
(B) Biannual reports.--Not later than November 1,
2024, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall
publish a report describing key programs and policies
of each State in supporting its schools in making
progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
(c) State Grant Program.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to State
educational agencies, on a competitive basis, for the purpose
of supporting and engaging eligible entities as green schools.
(2) Applications.--A State educational agency that desires
to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require,
including an assurance that the agency will--
(A) expend not less than 40 percent of the grant
funds to support underresourced schools; and
(B) provide documentation to the Secretary
demonstrating compliance with the requirement under
subparagraph (A).
(3) Criteria.--In selecting grant recipients under this
subsection, the Secretary shall consider the State educational
agency's proposed program or program expansion in terms of--
(A) the projected impact and proposed impact
metrics;
(B) the incorporation of specific activities to
ensure underresourced eligible entities benefit and
have opportunities to participate;
(C) the extent to which stakeholders and
partnerships are included;
(D) innovative approaches to scaling green school
practices and learning;
(E) the engagement of past award winners in the
program, including as mentors or advisors to other
eligible entities; and
(F) other criteria as may be identified by the
Secretary.
(4) Amount of grants.--In carrying out this subsection, the
Secretary may determine the amount of each grant award, except
that no grant award shall be for an amount that is less than
$250,000 nor more than $1,000,000.
(5) Time period.--Grant funds awarded under this subsection
shall be available for use by the grant awardee for not more
than 3 years.
(6) Allowed uses.--A State educational agency that receives
a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to
increase and support eligible entities in becoming Green Ribbon
School award winners, including by--
(A) establishing State-level Green Ribbon awards
and recognition events;
(B) working in partnership with nonprofit green
school organizations and other organizations,
utilities, businesses, and other State and local
governmental entities to inform, educate, and support
eligible entities regarding actions to make progress
toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars;
(C) using resources from the Department of
Education and its green schools partners, as
appropriate, to curate and disseminate resources about
best green school practices and provide statewide
training and professional development in the Green
Ribbon pillars;
(D) utilizing innovative ways to promote--
(i) the implementation of green school
practices; and
(ii) the Green Ribbon Schools Program and
any State-level Green Ribbon schools program;
and
(E) providing statewide training and professional
development in the Green Ribbon pillars.
SEC. 3. INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES GREEN RIBBON AWARD
PROGRAM.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to develop and
implement a Green Ribbon award program for nonformal learning
institutions at the Institute of Museum and Library Services in order
to recognize and help advance excellence in the greening of nonformal
learning institutions.
(b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``nonformal learning
institutions'' includes public and private libraries, museums,
arboretums, botanical gardens, nature centers, historical societies,
historic preservation organizations, history museums, science and
technology centers, planetariums, children's museums, art museums,
general museums, natural history museums, natural science museums,
zoos, aquariums, and wildlife conservation centers.
(c) Establishment.--Consistent with section 209 of the Museum and
Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9107), the Director of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services shall establish an award program for
nonformal learning institutions modeled on the Department of
Education's Green Ribbon Schools Program. The award program shall
recognize and honor nonformal learning institutions that demonstrate
high achievement in all 3 of the following goals:
(1) Ensuring that their visitors are exposed through
multiple learning modes to locally relevant information to
advance understanding of the interconnection of the natural
environment, built environment, and quality of life.
(2) Significantly reducing their net environmental and
carbon footprints, while using their own built and natural
environment as a learning laboratory and a model of best
practice for their host community.
(3) Ensuring their institution has a net positive
environmental impact on visitor and staff health.
(d) Award.--The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library
Services shall provide each national award winner under this section
with an honorarium of $10,000.
(e) Consultation.--The Director of the Institute of Museum and
Library Services shall consult with the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to align the award program under this
section with the science on school health studied by the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SEC. 4. OFFICE OF SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION.
(a) Establishment.--There is established within the Office of the
Secretary of Education, the Office of School Infrastructure and
Sustainability that shall be composed of 3 full-time employees.
(b) Purpose.--The Office of School Infrastructure and
Sustainability shall--
(1) direct content and programming of a technical
assistance center for school infrastructure;
(2) liaise with partner Federal agencies that have
programs, grants, and equities in school facilities, promote
the National Clearinghouse's resources to schools, provide
robust technical assistance to partner Federal agencies, local
educational agencies, and State educational agencies, and
oversee, promote, and expand the recognition award for the
Green Ribbon Schools Program;
(3) provide technical assistance, training, and, subject to
appropriations, grants to State educational agencies and local
educational agencies on issues related to educational facility
planning, design, financing, construction, improvement,
operation, and maintenance, including green building design and
operation practices consistent with a commitment to tackling
the climate crisis;
(4) develop resources and assemble best practices on issues
related to ensuring equitable access to healthy, educationally
adequate, and environmentally and fiscally sustainable public
school facilities and grounds;
(5) recommend revisions to regulations of the Department of
Education that pertain to school construction and renovation;
and
(6) consult with Federal agencies to ensure peer-reviewed
recommendations and resources are incorporated into the work of
the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability.
(c) Appropriation.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this section $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated to carry
out this Act (except for section 4) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2024
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2025 through
2029.
(b) Reservations.--The Secretary--
(1) shall reserve 10 percent of the amount appropriated
under subsection (a) to carry out section 3; and
(2) may reserve not more than 5 percent of the amount
appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year for
administrative expenses.
<all>