HB 2078 — Establishing the outdoor school for all program.

H-2497.1H-2233.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2078 State of Washington 67th Legislature 2022 Regular Session By House Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Rule, Barkis, Ryu, Fitzgibbon, Simmons, Shewmake, Berry, Leavitt, Berg, Senn, Callan, Dent, J.

Johnson, Kloba, Bergquist, Chambers, Wicks, Orwall, Tharinger, Taylor, Klippert, and Pollet)Pollet READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/03/22.01/21/22.

Referred to Committee on Education.

amending RCW 28A.300.790;28A.300.790 and 28A.320.173;

adding a new sectionssection to chapter 28A.300 RCW;

All children deserve equitable access to outdoor spaces where they can learn, play, and grow,grow. but current access to outdoor educational opportunities is inequitable.

(2)Current Fromaccess stress reduction to improvedoutdoor focusschool andis engagement,inequitable andmostly betterdue academicto performance,funding outdoor-basedand learningadministrative helpsconstraints. kids thrive.

Research(2) showsFrom participantsstress inreduction outdoorto educational activities have higher graduation rates, improved behaviorfocus in school and relationshipsengagement withto peers,better higher academic achievement,performance, criticaloutdoor-based thinkinglearning skills,helps directkids experiencethrive. of scientific concepts in the field, leadership and collaboration skills, and a deeper engagement with learning, place, and community.

OutdoorResearch educationalshows programsparticipants in outdoor school have higher graduation rates, improved behavior in school and relationships with peers, higher academic achievement, critical thinking skills, direct experience of scientific concepts in the field, leadership and collaboration skills, and a deeper engagement with learning, place, p.

1 SHBHB 2078 also offer new opportunities for work-integrated learning in science, natural resources, education, land management, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and othercommunity. employment sectors.

Outdoor-basedOutdoor learningschool activities can also beoffers anew keyopportunities elementfor incareer theconnected largerlearning systemin ofscience, regularnatural outdoorresources, instructionaleducation, timeland andmanagement, agriculture, outdoor experiencesrecreation, that includes STEM fields, after-school programs, summer camps, 4-H, scouting, and relatedother programsemployment whichsectors. can spark a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.

(3)Outdoor Theschool legislaturecan furtheralso findsbe a key element in the larger system of regular outdoor instructional time and outdoor experiences that accessibilityincludes isSTEM fields, after-school programs, summer camps, 4-H, scouting, and related programs that can spark a majorlifelong obstacleappreciation tofor universalthe outdoornatural education.world.

(3) The legislature further finds that accessibility is a major obstacle to universal outdoor school.

In addition, some youth may experience cultural barriers to outdoor learningschool experiences.

(4)The Therefore, the legislature intends to establish a statewide grant program and corresponding outdoor education experiences program to address all these needs and to ensure that all students have a chance to benefit from outdoor education.school.

(1) SubjectWithin to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, or within funding made available, the outdoor learningschool grantfor all program is established.

The purpose of the grantoutdoor school for all program is to develop and support educationaloutdoor school experiences for all 5th or 6th grade students in Washington public schools.schools with opportunities for high school students to volunteer as counselors.

(2) The officeprogram will consist of thehands-on superintendentoutdoor ofschool publicexperiences instructionthat shallare administerthree theto grantfive programdays inand accordancezero to four nights, residential or day programs, and have a focus on environmental education aligned with thisthe section.Washington state learning standards and the development of social and emotional learning skills.

(3)(2) WithinThe existing resources, the Washington state parks and recreation commission, the department of natural resources, the Washington department of fish and wildlife, the Washington department of agriculture, and the Washington conservation commission may partner with the office of the superintendent of public instruction toshall provideadminister relevantthe expertiseoutdoor onschool landfor managementall andprogram work-integratedin learningaccordance experienceswith andthis opportunities.section.

(4)(3)(a) BeginningThe in the 2022-23 school year, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shallmay awardwork grantswith toa eligiblestatewide nonprofit organization representing school districtsprincipals andto create guidelines for the outdoor educationschool programfor providers.all program.

The(b) officeWithin mayexisting consultresources, with the Washington recreationstate parks and conservationrecreation officecommission, inthe awardingdepartment grantsof undernatural thisresources, section.the Washington department of fish and wildlife, the Washington department p.

p.2 HB 2078 of agriculture, and the Washington conservation commission may partner with the office of the superintendent of public instruction for expertise on land management and career connected learning.

2(4) SHBThe 2078office (5)(a)of Thethe grantsuperintendent programof mustpublic consistinstruction ofshall twoaward typesgrants ofto grants,eligible including:school districts and outdoor school providers starting in the 2022-23 school year.

(i)The Allocation-basedoffice grantsmay forconsult schoolwith districtsthe toWashington developrecreation orand supportconservation educationaloffice experiences;on outdoor school grants.

and(a) (ii)The Competitiveoutdoor grantsschool for outdoorall educationprogram providerswill toconsist supportof existingtwo capacitytypes andof togrants increaseincluding: future capacity for outdoor learning experiences.

(b)(i) InAllocation-based implementinggrants studentfor educational experiences under this section, school districts andto outdoordevelop educationor providerssupport shouldoutdoor ensureschool equitableexperiences; access for students in all geographic regions, and high levels of accessibility for students with disabilities.

(6)and Beginning(ii) inCompetitive 2024,grants thefor officeoutdoor ofschool theproviders superintendentdesigned ofto publicsupport instruction,existing incapacity accordanceand with RCW 43.01.036, must submit an annual report to theincrease appropriatefuture committeescapacity offor theoutdoor legislatureschool withexperiences. an evaluation of the program established by this section.

The(b) reportSchool maydistricts includeand informationoutdoor onschool otherproviders outdoorshould educationensure andequitable instructionalaccess timefor effortsstudents andin howall theygeographic compareregions withand programshigh fundedlevels throughof theaccessibility outdoorfor learningstudents grantwith program.disabilities.

NEW(5) SECTION.The office of the superintendent of public instruction will submit an annual report, beginning in 2024, to the appropriate committees of the legislature with an evaluation of the outdoor school for all program and may include reporting on all outdoor education and instructional time efforts and how they integrate with the outdoor school for all program.

A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the outdoor education experiences program is established as a program within the outdoor learning grant program established in section 2 of this act.

The purpose of the outdoor education experiences program is to develop and support outdoor learning opportunities for 5th and 6th grade students in Washington public schools, with related opportunities for high school students to volunteer as counselors.

The program will consist of hands-on learning experiences that:

Are three to five days in duration and up to four nights;

are residential or day programs;

and have a focus on environmental education aligned with the Washington state learning standards and the development of social and emotional learning skills.

(2) The office of the superintendent of public instruction may work with a statewide nonprofit organization representing school principals to create guidelines for the program established by this section.

(3) In implementing the program established by this section, the priority focus of the office of the superintendent of public p.

3 SHB 2078 instruction must be given to schools that have been identified for improvement through the Washington school improvement framework and communities historically underserved by science education.

These communities can include, but are not limited to, tribal nations including tribal compact schools, migrant students, schools with high free and reduced-price lunch populations, rural and remote schools, students in alternative learning environments, students of color, English language learner students, and students receiving special education services.