California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 128

Introduced by Assembly Member Ting

April 1, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 128—Relative to Living Schoolyard Month.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 128, as introduced, Ting. Living Schoolyard Month.

This measure would designate the month of May 2014 as Living Schoolyard Month, and would urge the State Department of Education 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.

Fiscal committee: no.

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 2014 as Living Schoolyard Month and urges the State
Department of Education 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.