BILL NUMBER: ACR 128	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	ADOPTED IN SENATE  JUNE 5, 2014
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 9, 2014
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 22, 2014
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 13, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Ting

                        APRIL 1, 2014

   Relative to Living Schoolyard Month.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 128, Ting. Living Schoolyard Month.
   This measure would designate the month of May as Living Schoolyard
Month, and would urge the State Department of Education, school
districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to
continue to prioritize the design and construction of
student-accessible green space on school campuses and to integrate
use of this space into the teaching of standards-based curriculum.



   WHEREAS, Urban development often disconnects communities from
natural systems, wildlife, and seasonal changes; and
   WHEREAS, Environmental sustainability has become a high priority
in urban planning and design, and should be incorporated in
construction and renovation of schools; and
   WHEREAS, On-campus green space designs have environmental benefits
such as rainwater collection, urban carbon and runoff sequestration,
air quality improvement, and ecological resiliency; and
   WHEREAS, Schools can benefit their surrounding communities through
thoughtful design and use of their grounds, paying mind to local
ecological, social, and cultural context; and
   WHEREAS, The amount of time the average American child spends
outdoors and distance traveled from the home unsupervised are in
constant decline; and
   WHEREAS, Childhood obesity and its related health issues have
become a public policy concern in the United States and California,
particularly in low-income communities; and
   WHEREAS, Children spend a significant portion of their day on
their school campuses, amounting to at least 840 instructional hours
per year from grades 1 to 3, inclusive, and up to 1,080 hours for
grades 9 to 12, inclusive; and
   WHEREAS, An ecological schoolyard setting provides a peaceful,
comfortable, and aesthetically pleasant environment for students,
particularly for those students who lack the desire or ability to
engage in competitive, fast-paced, or more structured activities; and

   WHEREAS, Ecological schoolyard play encourages collaborative and
cooperative play, reducing the aggression that occurs on traditional
playgrounds; and
   WHEREAS, An on-campus green space, such as a school garden, is a
fundamental component of a school environment intended to include and
empower students, giving them a sense of place and community; and
   WHEREAS, Schools are devoted to nurturing each child's physical,
cognitive, social, and emotional development and ability to assess
challenging situations and make intelligent choices; and
   WHEREAS, Children should be given the opportunity to reflect and
embrace their local ecological, social, and cultural context in both
recreational and instructional settings; and
   WHEREAS, Outdoor classrooms provide clearer context for
standards-based instruction in life and physical sciences, health and
nutrition, and social science; and
   WHEREAS, Outdoor activity is essential to learning, health, and
the overall quality of student life; and
   WHEREAS, The Instructional School Gardens Program has been
established by the Legislature for the promotion, creation, and
support of instructional school gardens; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates the month of May
as Living Schoolyard Month and urges the State Department of
Education, school districts, county offices of education, and charter
schools to continue to prioritize the design and construction of
student-accessible green space on school campuses and to integrate
use of this space into the teaching of standards-based curriculum;
and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.