House Committee on Education and Labor
U.S. House of Representatives

On June 18, 2008, the House Education and Labor Committee approved H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008, which reauthorizes the National Environmental Education Act administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

For nearly two decades, the EPA has been the primary federal agency responsible for assisting schools in improving the quality of environmental education.  Administered by the EPA’s Office of Environmental Education, the Environmental Education Grant Program provides funding to state and local agencies, tribal governments, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations to support activities that educate elementary and secondary school students, train teachers, increase understanding of environmental issues, and accomplish related goals. 

Since FY1992, EPA reports that it has awarded $40.6 million in grants for nearly 3,200 environmental education projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.  EPA also reports that grant recipients have exceeded matching funds requirements, providing at least $1 for every $3 awarded by EPA, underscoring the importance of these activities to school districts and communities. 

The bill sets an authorization level of $14 million for fiscal year 2009, the same level as current law that was last authorized in fiscal year 1996.  The program is currently funded at $9 million annually.  H.R. 3036 also establishes a new grant program to be run by the U.S. Department of Education, which has its funding level authorized at such sums as may be necessary.  

National Environmental Education Act

H.R. 3036: 

• Amends the existing Environmental Education and Training Program to ensure that it focuses on creating opportunities for enhanced and ongoing professional development and that its activities integrate scientifically valid research teaching methods and technology-based teaching methods into the curriculum.
• Ensures that the program is aligned with challenging state and local academic content standards to the extent that such standards exist, advances the teaching of interdisciplinary courses that integrate the study of natural, social, and economic systems, and includes environmental education distance learning programs for teachers.
• Encourages individuals traditionally underrepresented in environmental careers to pursue postsecondary degrees, promotes summer workshops or institutes, and encourages mid-career environmental professionals to pursue careers in environmental education.

New Environmental Education Grant Program

H.R. 3036:

• Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award competitive grants to nonprofit institutions, state educational agencies, local educational agencies, or institutions of higher education to help the field of environmental education become more effective and widely practiced.
• Establishes seven uses of funds, including: developing and implementing challenging state academic content standards in environmental education including the need to balance conservation of the environment with the development of the nation’s energy resources; replicating or disseminating information about proven and tested model environmental education programs; conducting studies of national significance; developing a state environmental literacy plan; and building the capacity to increase the number of elementary and secondary environmental educators.
• Establishes a new accountability section requiring the Administrator of the EPA and the Secretary of Education to establish indicators of program quality for each of the programs and activities funded under the Act.
• Prohibits an employee of the federal government from mandating, directing, or controlling a school’s curriculum, instructional program, academic achievement standard, assessment, or allocation of resources.
• Prohibits the use of funds to endorse, approve, or sanction any type of curriculum.
• Authorizes funding for the program at such sums for fiscal year 2009.

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