Revitalizing America's Schoolyards Act

[Rachel Pringle]

Hello School Garden Partners

We are excited that U.S. Senator Heinrich (NM) will introduce the Revitalizing America's Schoolyards Act later this fall. This is an updated version of the Living Schoolyards Act, which he introduced a few years ago. His team is looking for support for the bill from groups in all 50 states.

We are helping Senator Heinrich's staff with outreach and would be grateful for your support. Please use this form to have your organization included on the list of supportive groups and if you could share this link with your local networks, we'd be grateful.  

Background on the bill:

Revitalizing America's Schoolyards Act

In the U.S., nearly 50 million children attend school on millions of acres of public land that is largely paved with asphalt. This land is a vital public resource that could do more to support the health and education of the students who use it. We are excited to announce that U.S. Senator Heinrich (NM) will introduce the Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act (RSYA) to begin to address this need. This legislation is an updated version of the Living Schoolyards Act, which aims to provide funding and support for the creation of green and living schoolyards.

The Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act: 

• Creates a Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Grant Program;

• Defines a Revitalized Schoolyard as a park-like outdoor environment at an elementary or secondary school that has been updated to strengthen local ecological systems, provide a range of hands-on learning resources, and foster nature play and social opportunities while enhancing the health and well-being of children and adults. These schoolyards may include trees and plants where children can access them; cultivated gardens; outdoor meeting and gathering areas; and other elements designed by, and for, the students and the surrounding community;

• Allows funds to be used to plan and implement revitalized schoolyard(s);

• Prioritizes funding for communities with high rates of students receiving free and reduced meals; and

• Requires a catalog of best practices for creating these spaces.

We have bill supporters from organizations and agencies in 38 states, DC, and Puerto Rico, so far. We are still looking for organizations and agencies to sign on to the bill as supporters. Do you have an organizational contact that you could forward this to in one of these states below? 

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Delaware
• Indiana
• Louisiana
• Montana
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Vermont

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarah Matsumoto at Green Schoolyards America (sa...@greenschoolyards.org), David Beard (da...@childrenandnature.org), or Jessica Montoya (Jessica...@tpl.org). 

Thank you!

Rachel

Green Schoolyards America