Senator Jack Reed and Congressman John Sarbanes introduced Senate and House versions of the No Child Left Inside Act into Congress on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

The No Child Left Inside Legislation (HR 2054 and S 866) would provide:

1.  Funding to train teachers to deliver high quality Environmental Education and utilize the local environment as an extension of the classroom.

2.  Incentives for states to develop State Environmental Literacy Plans to insure that every student is prepared to understand the environmental challenges of the future.

3.  Encouragement for teachers, administrators, and school systems to make time and resources available for environmental education for all students.

4.  Environmental Education will be integrated across core subject areas.

Although the bills will probably not come up for a vote soon, some actions can be taken now.  The No Child Left Inside Coalition is urging supporters to contact their Senators and Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor these bills.  Thirteen Senators and fifty-three representatives have already signed on as co-sponsors.