BILL ANALYSIS �
ACR 128
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Date of Hearing: May 7, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Joan Buchanan, Chair
ACR 128 (Ting) - As Introduced: April 1, 2014
SUBJECT : Living Schoolyard Month
SUMMARY : Designates the month of May 2014 as Living Schoolyard
Month. Specifically, this resolution :
1)Makes findings regarding the benefits of green space in
schools, including the following:
a) Urban development often disconnects communities from
natural systems, wildlife, and seasonal changes.
b) Environmental sustainability has become a high priority
in urban planning and design, and should be incorporated in
construction and renovation of schools. Schools can
benefit their surrounding communities through thoughtful
design and use of their grounds, paying mind to local
ecological, social, and cultural context.
c) 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.
d) Childhood obesity and its related health issues have
become a public policy concern in the United States and
California, particularly in low-income communities.
e) 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.
f) Children should be given the opportunity to reflect and
embrace their local ecological, social, and cultural
context in both recreational and instructional settings.
g) Outdoor classrooms provide clearer context for
standards-based instruction in life and physical sciences,
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health and nutrition, and social science.
h) The Instructional School Gardens Program has been
established by the Legislature for the promotion, creation,
and support of instructional school gardens.
2)Resolves that the Legislature designates the month of May 2014
as Living Schoolyard Month and urges the California Department
of Education (CDE) 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.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Prohibits the State Allocation Board (SAB) from apportioning
state bond funds to any school district unless the applicant
school district has certified to the SAB that it has obtained
the written approval of the CDE that the site selection and
the building plans and specifications comply with the
standards adopted by the CDE. (Education Code (EC) Section
17070.50)
2)Finds and declares that school gardens provide an interactive,
hands-on learning environment in which pupils learn composting
and waste management techniques, fundamental concepts about
nutrition and obesity prevention, and the cultural and
historical aspects of our food supply. School gardens also
foster a better understanding and appreciation of where food
comes from, how food travels from the farm to the table, and
the important role of agriculture in the state, national, and
global economy. (EC Section 51795)
3)Establishes the Instructional School Gardens Program,
administered by the CDE for the promotion, creation, and
support of instructional school gardens through the allocation
of grants, and through technical assistance provided, to
school districts, charter schools, or county offices of
education. (EC Section 51796)
4)Authorizes a school district, charter school, or county office
of education may apply to the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) for funding for a three-year grant in a
manner determined by the SPI, in order to develop and maintain
an instructional school garden. (EC Section 51796.2)
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FISCAL EFFECT : None.
COMMENTS : School districts applying for state school facilities
bond funds are required to submit plans to the CDE for review to
ensure that the site selected for a school meets safety
requirements and the design of the school will meet the
educational program objectives. CDE's guidelines include
recommendations for the amount of acreage for a school based on
the number of pupils to be accommodated at the schoolsite. For
example, CDE recommends 9.1 acres for an elementary school
enrolling 500 pupils. Of the 9.1 acres, CDE recommends 5.7
acres devoted for outdoor area. Schools are required to have
outdoor area; however, there is no minimum amount of open area
required and no requirement for the use of the outdoor area
(e.g., football or baseball fields, playgrounds, gardens, lawns,
etc.).
Existing law encourages schools to establish school garden
programs. School garden programs have many functions and
benefits. In addition to being an instructional program, school
garden programs can supply produce for a school's meal program
and teach kids the benefits of making healthier food choices
such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Garden programs also
provide an opportunity to teach composting, including
vermiposting using worms. In 1995, the CDE launched the Garden
in Every School initiative and collaborates with entities that
support school gardens, including public and private
agricultural agencies, waste management agencies, health
agencies and others.
In 2006, AB 1535 (Nunez), Chapter 427, Statutes of 2006,
provided $15 million for a grant program to be devised by the
SPI. Funds were used for instructional school garden equipment
or supplies and professional development for teachers, garden
volunteers and food service staff. According to the CDE,
approximately 3,500 schoolsites received grants.
ACR 128 recognizes the value of incorporating green space,
including school gardens, in the design of schools and in the
curriculum. The resolution finds that an ecological schoolyard
would provide a peaceful environment for students to enjoy
outdoor activities, and provide opportunities for students to
learn in outdoor classrooms. This resolution designates May
2014 as Living Schoolyard Month and urges the CDE to continue to
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prioritize the design and construction of student-accessible
green space on school campuses and to integrate the use of this
space into the teaching of standards-based curriculum. The CDE
reviews the design of new schools submitted by school districts,
but the CDE does not develop school plans or build schools.
Staff recommends an amendment to additionally urge school
districts, county offices of education and charter schools to
prioritize the design and construction of green space in
schools.
The author states, "Living Schoolyard Month celebrates the
benefits of the design, construction, and use of on-site green
space in K-12 education. Ecologically designed schoolyards can
be integrated into the teaching of standards-based curriculum,
allowing children to make the connection between themselves and
the natural world and making them more aware of their impact on
the changing earth they are soon to inherit. Additionally, a
schoolyard is a strategically centralized location ideal for
increasing local environmental awareness, building community
identity, and a fostering shared responsibility for the school's
role in helping a neighborhood thrive. In urban areas, a living
schoolyard also plays a vital role in sequestering runoff,
providing habitat for local wildlife, and improving air quality.
This resolution encourages the greening of school sites in all
California communities and acknowledges the efforts of those who
plan, build, maintain, and enhance a living schoolyard with
their time and hard work."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility
Children in Nature Collaborative
Education Outside
Green Schools Initiative
Green Schoolyards America
International School Ground Alliance
Life Lab
NatureBridge
Oakland Unified School District
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
San Francisco Unified School District
StopWaste
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Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087