Begun in 2011-2012, U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a recognition award that honors schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions that are making great strides in three Pillars: 1) reducing environmental impact and costs, including waste, water, energy use, and transportation; 2) improving the health and wellness of students and staff, including environmental health of premises, nutrition, and fitness; and 3) providing effective sustainability education, including STEM, civic skills, and green career pathways.
The award is a tool to encourage state education agencies, stakeholders and higher education officials to consider matters of facilities, health and environment comprehensively and in coordination with state health, environment and energy counterparts. In order to be selected for federal recognition, schools, districts and postsecondary institutions must be high achieving in all three of the above Pillars, not just one area. Schools, districts, colleges and universities apply to their state education authorities. State authorities can submit up to six nominees to ED, documenting achievement in all three Pillars. This information is used at the Department to select the awardees.
ED collects information on nominees from state nominating authorities regarding their schools, districts, and postsecondary nominees. State agencies are provided sample applications for all three types of nominees for their use and adaptation. Most states adapt the sample to their state competition. There is no one federal application for the award, but rather various applications determined by states. They do use a required two-page Nominee Submission Form as a cover sheet, which ED provides. This document, in school, district, and postsecondary submission formats is attached. The burden varies greatly from state authority to authority and how they chose to approach the award.
The recognition award is part of a U.S. Department of Education (ED) effort to identify and communicate practices that result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, and reinforce federal efforts to increase energy independence and economic security.
Encouraging resource efficient schools, districts, and IHEs allows administrators to dedicate more resources to instruction rather than operational costs. Healthy schools and wellness practices ensure that all students learn in an environment conducive to achieving their full potential, free of the health disparities that can aggravate achievement gaps. Sustainability education helps students engage in hands-on learning, hone critical thinking skills, learn many disciplines and develop a solid foundation in STEM subjects. It motivates postsecondary students in many disciplines, and especially those underserved in STEM subjects, to persist and graduate with sought after degrees and robust civic skills.
So that the Administration can receive statesâ nominations, ED seeks to provide the Nominee Presentation Form to states â essentially a cover sheet for statesâ evaluation of their nominees to ED â in three versions; one for school nominees, another for district nominees, and a third form for postsecondary nominees.
US Code:
20 USC 7243(b)(5)
Name of Law: Elementary and Secondary Education Act
PL:
Pub.L. 107 - 110 501
Name of Law: Innovative Programs and Parental Choice Provisions
This is an extension of a previously approved information collection request. Burden and responses were adjusted to correct the estimate based on recent data and changes in process. This results in a reduction in burden of 1,328 hours and an increase of 60 responses. Total burden and responses is 22 hours and 90 responses respectively.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.