There are many models of state programs to recognize and support greening our schools. Some are housed in state departments of education, while others are administered by an independent non-profit.
Connecticut’s Green LEAF Schools is yet another model, a collaborative partnership of four state agencies and more than 30 education and environmental interest groups. The Connecticut movement started in 2011, framed by the U.S. Department of Education’s goals for their Green Ribbon Schools program (ED-GRS). Our original state team included members of the environmental education committee who helped to write Connecticut’s Environmental Literacy Plan. As we looked at the Green Ribbon goals, encouraging environmental and sustainability education, supporting health and wellness, and helping schools to measure and manage their facility’s resource use, we knew that we’d need to cast our net broadly to bring together all of the state’s organizations who provided resources and programs in these areas.
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