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*The NCLI Coalition extends its thanks to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for the use of "No Child Left Inside."

About the No Child Left Inside Act

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is also known as No Child Left Behind, which in the past few years has fundamentally changed the way that education is delivered in this country. It has defined the core content that all students in the United States must learn to be considered proficient at each grade level. As of 2007, this includes content standards in reading, math, and science. In many school districts, this has translated into teaching only those subjects and standards that are assessed.

If Congress adopts the NCLI proposals, a substantially strengthened Elementary and Secondary Education Act will include:

  • Funding to train teachers to deliver high quality Environmental Education and utilize the local environment as an extension of the classroom.

  • Incentives for states to develop State Environmental Literacy Plans to insure that every student is prepared to understand the environmental challenges of the future.

  • Encouragement for teachers, administrators, and school systems to make time and resources available for environmental education for all students.

  • Environmental Education will be integrated across core subject areas.

Check out the Q&A for more information.

HOUSE BILL 2054 AND SENATE BILL 866 SUMMARY
No Child Left Inside Act of 2009 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require states, as a prerequisite to receiving implementation grants, to develop environmental literacy plans, approved by the Secretary of Education, for pre-kindergarten through grade 12 that include environmental education standards and teacher training.

Directs the Secretary to award Environmental Education Professional Development Grants to states and, through them, competitive subgrants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, institutions of higher education (IHE), other educational entities, or federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, for activities involving, among other things, teacher training and the development of more rigorous environmental education curricula that advance the teaching of interdisciplinary courses.

Authorizes the Secretary to award competitive matching grants to partnerships that include an LEA and, permissibly, IHEs, other educational entities, federal, state, regional, or local natural resource or environmental agencies, or park and recreation departments, for activities to improve and support environmental education that include: (1) advancing content and achievement standards; (2) developing or disseminating innovations or model programs; and (3) research.

CURRENT SENATE ACTIONS
4/22/2009: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4581)

4/22/2009: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S4581-4584)

CURRENT HOUSE ACTIONS
4/22/2009: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H4667)

4/22/2009: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

6/4/2009: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Taken from www.THOMAS.gov