Our focus areas include:

• NGSS/Climate Science Funding: Since 2018, IslandWood has worked each year to help secure first-of-its-kind funding for community-based organizations to support schools by providing teacher training in connecting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to real world environmental/climate issues.
• Amplifying Teacher Voices: As we advocate for this NGSS funding, we are amplifying teacher voice to help build support for place-based environmental learning in K-12 education.
• Residential Environmental Education Funding: IslandWood supports state funding for public schools using Residential Environmental Learning Centers (RELCs) like IslandWood’s School Overnight Program (SOP). This year, we are working as part of the Outdoor School for All initiative and Residential Outdoor Learning Center coalition to advocate for funding for research, planning, and COVID-19 relief for RELCs, and to consider how our field can help address environmental issues and racial and economic inequity.
• No Child Left Inside (NCLI) support: As a member of the NCLI steering committee, IslandWood is supporting key efforts to ensure funding is maintained and improved for NCLI.

• $10 million to Support Access to Outdoor Learning for all Washington Children
  Alongside many other organizations, we advocated for several successful state funding and public policy initiatives during the 2021 legislative session. These initiatives included over $10 million in funding for Washington Outdoor School for All (WOSFA), in support of residential outdoor learning for students throughout the state. This funding will help ensure that more Washington children than ever have access to education that deepens their knowledge of and care for the natural world!
  
• Maintained Funding for NGSS-Aligned Climate Learning
  During the 2021 legislative session, we successfully helped advocate for $4 million to be maintained in the state budget for the Office for the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Next Generation Science Standards-aligned ClimeTime initiative. This initiative supports critical climate literacy for Washington students, and has historically helped fund our teacher professional development series.
• Increased Funding for No Child Left Inside
  We are thrilled that our advocacy, alongside the work of our partners, resulted in an increase to $4.5 million allocated for the No Child Left Inside grant program in the 2021 Washington state budget. The program provides increased access to outdoor education and recreation programs for Washington youth.
• $1 million for NGSS-Aligned, Community-Connected Learning
  In 2018, the Washington state legislature passed $4 million dollars in the state’s supplemental budget for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) teacher training and support. Of that, $1 million was specifically allocated for nonprofits to partner with school districts to support NGSS-aligned, community-connected environmental learning. We are proud to have led the effort to secure this funding, as it is truly a first-of-its-kind innovation and an acknowledgement that community-based nonprofits, like IslandWood, are critical partners for improving educational outcomes for children and the environmental health of our state. Learn more
• Celebrating the Signing of No Child Left Inside
  In May 2015, the No Child Left Inside Act was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. IslandWood was proud to partner with a variety of nonprofit organizations and business to support this important bill, which provides funding to increase access to outdoor education and recreation programs for Washington’s youth.

IslandWood is proud to work alongside Washington state elected officials, like-minded organizations, and leaders in the field to advance innovation and equity in environmental education, including OSPI, E3 Washington, Pacific Education Institute, and Washington Green Schools.