H-2239.1
HOUSE BILL 1935
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By Representatives Bergquist, McEntire, Ryu, Ramel, Reed, Ormsby,
Doglio, Paul, Hackney, and Pollet
Prefiled 12/13/23. Read first time 01/08/24. Referred to Committee
on Education.
1 AN ACT Relating to promoting resource conservation practices that
2 include student education and leadership opportunities in public
3 schools; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a
4 new section.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
6 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that resource
7 conservation practices can have broad application and value in
8 Washington's public schools, especially if students are active
9 participants in the programs and have appropriate education and
10 leadership opportunities.
11 (2) The legislature finds also that when resource conservation
12 practices in schools are partnered with other legislative actions,
13 such as funding provided through the department of commerce for
14 energy retrofits, energy efficiency, and solar panel installations,
15 the resulting environmental benefits are compounded.
16 (3) The legislature further finds that increasing child-
17 accessible tree canopy on school campuses can offer shade and
18 protection to students from extreme heat and rising temperatures due
19 to climate change, while also reducing increased indoor temperatures
20 and associated cooling costs.
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1 (4) The legislature, therefore, intends to create new and
2 expanded opportunities for student-involved resource conservation
3 practices in public schools through the establishment of a voluntary
4 green schools program and associated grants.
5 (5) The legislature intends also for the department of commerce,
6 to the extent practicable, when providing funds to school districts
7 through energy grant programs funded in the capital budget, to
8 prioritize school districts that are participating in the Washington
9 state green schools program established in section 2 of this act.
10 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
11 RCW to read as follows:
12 (1) The Washington state green schools program is established in
13 the office of the superintendent of public instruction to create and
14 expand resource conservation practices in public schools, including:
15 Waste reduction, energy reduction, water conservation, urban forestry
16 education, and environmental preservation; and education and
17 leadership opportunities for students seeking to promote conservation
18 practices in their schools. The program is voluntary and is intended
19 to:
20 (a) Compliment resource conservation programs for school
21 districts and public schools that are established by counties or
22 other entities by, in part, providing increased opportunities for
23 student education and leadership in resource conservation practices;
24 (b) Provide opportunities for school districts and public schools
25 that cannot access or are not participating in resource conservation
26 programs to establish and promote resource conservation programs that
27 include student education and leadership opportunities;
28 (c) Support instruction in climate curriculum aligned with the
29 state learning standards for science and integrated environmental and
30 sustainability; and
31 (d) Provide opportunities for school districts and public schools
32 to collaborate with the department of natural resources for the
33 purposes of schoolyard greening projects, schoolyard forests, and
34 career-connected learning related to natural resource job
35 opportunities within the national forest school forest system network
36 and other urban forestry projects.
37 (2) For the purposes of this section, "public school" has the
38 same meaning as in RCW 28A.150.010.
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 1 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
2 RCW to read as follows:
3 (1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
4 specific purpose, the office of the superintendent of public
5 instruction shall establish and administer a grant program to provide
6 assistance to school districts for the purpose of creating or
7 expanding resource conservation practices in accordance with section
8 2 of this act.
9 (2) School districts that participate in the Washington state
10 green schools program established in section 2 of this act may, on
11 forms developed by the office of the superintendent of public
12 instruction, apply for:
13 (a) Annual project grants of up to $15,000 per school, per year,
14 in furtherance of the Washington state green schools program.
15 Applications for grants awarded in accordance with this subsection
16 (2)(a) must demonstrate student involvement through a student-based
17 team, group, or club in the selection and support of projects
18 proposed for funding; and
19 (b) Grants for stipend funds for school-based advisors that
20 assist students in learning about, promoting, and implementing
21 resource conservation practices in school facilities. Stipend funds
22 provided in accordance with this section may not exceed $600 per
23 school, per year, but nothing in this section prevents school
24 districts from providing additional funding for school-based
25 advisors.
26 (3) For the purposes of this section, "school districts" include
27 school districts, charter schools established under chapter 28A.710
28 RCW, and state-tribal education compact schools subject to chapter
29 28A.715 RCW.
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