Currently, there is research that connects many facets of Green Schools with increases in student learning and health. When pieced together, these studies support the case that students who attend green and healthy schools outperform students in more traditional schools in several ways, but more consolidated and organized (aka “official”) evidence is needed. This Solutions summit will review existing research as well as begin to map a research agenda for the Green Schools National Network. This Solutions Summit will explore the questions:

• How do we support the case that students who attend green and healthy schools outperform students in more traditional schools?

• How do we most effectively make the case for green schools as a beneficial school model?

• What additional evidence do we need and how do we get it?

We know that recycling has become a more commonplace activity in Green Schools. But how can schools enhance their recycling efforts to be even more efficient and effective. In a three part series of interactions, we will . . .

Build Content and Connections to discover what works and what can change.
Exchange Ideas with experts providing insight and participants discovering possibilities
Generate Solutions that move our schools forward, now and for the future.

With experts in the field and a variety of opportunities to share ideas and challenge assumptions, this Solutions Summit will explore:
• What common ideas and practices can advance how recycling takes place in our schools with maximum benefits for learning and results?

• Where is the practice of recycling headed in the next decade?

• How can our actions create models of excellence for other schools to follow?

Experience a variety of protocols for generating information, ideas and solutions that you can replicate in your schools and communities.

Sponsors: Recycle Across America, Republic Services, Office Depot and Keep America Beautiful

Despite the broad consensus that designing and building green schools is good for students, staff, facilities, communities, the environment, and the financial bottom line, many schools still struggle to pay for green building design, new construction, and retrofits. To answer the fundamental question – how can we pay for green – participants in the Summit will explore:

• Mechanisms for reducing the costs of green building projects while also ensuring achievement of green facility goals.

• The varieties of existing green school financing and funding solutions, including the contexts in which different strategies work well (pros), and potential problems schools may encounter when trying to employ certain strategies (cons).

• Strategies that green schools supporters can follow to encourage new funding, financing and incentive solutions to facilitate more green school construction and retrofit projects

In December 2010, President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which authorized funding for federal school meal and child nutrition programs and increased access to healthy food for low-income children. What does this mean for schools, and what can schools, advocates, and companies do to ensure that healthy options are being offered to students at lunch?

This Solutions Summit will explore this issue, with the help of Dr. Janey Thornton, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services and will focus on the following questions:

1. What are the main obstacles – perceived and real - preventing schools from serving healthy lunches?

2. What solutions/avenues are already available to overcome these obstacles and how can they be better communicated to schools?

3. What obstacles still exist and what solutions/next steps are needed?

4. What can schools/food industry/advocates/government do to support the Healthy Foods in Schools Initiative?

The face of the U.S. is rapidly changing. Four states—Hawaii, California, Texas, and New Mexico—and numerous metropolitan areas are majority people of color. Today, our nation is about 36% people of color and (as many demographers predict) will reach the 50% threshold by 2042. According to the Brookings Institute, children in the U.S. will be over 50% people of color by 2019.

The broader environmental movement has many diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges and opportunities. Studies conducted by the Natural Resources Council of America, Training Resources for the Environmental Community, and The Oregonian show people of color make up 4-11% of staff and boards of mainstream environmental organizations. The numbers are much lower at leadership levels. Another study conducted by the University of Michigan’s Multicultural Environmental Leadership Development Initiative reveals that 33% of mainstream environmental groups and 22% of government agencies have no people of color on staff.

Meanwhile a poll commissioned by The Nature Conservancy shows that people of color voters are concerned about climate change, pollution, and loss of open space and habitat at 14-22% points higher than white people.

While these are some challenges and opportunities across the mainstream environmental movement, what is the current state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the green schools movement? What are the unique challenges and opportunities? What are the best ways to move forward?

This summit will bring together experts that can shed light on these and other questions, and will engage the voices of all attendees.