A Shifting Economy and Climate Require New Teaching

COVID relief funds offer an opportunity to invest in professional learning, curriculum, and partnerships to support social and emotional learning, build resilience, and prepare students to thrive in a changing climate.

The degree to which we prepare today’s young people to shape and thrive in a green economy will have massive implications for the global competitiveness of the United States.

As districts consider investment of American Rescue Plan funds in teacher professional learning, curriculum, place-based learning, and community-based partnerships, there is an opportunity to learn from a body of research and a generation of practitioners — both within and outside the formal education system — about how these investments might be tailored to best prepare the K-12 sector to serve future generations of all children to take part in a prosperous, sustainable future.

Five Guiding Principles: How Schools Can Use American Rescue Plan Funding to Ensure Healthy, Resilient Facilities for Students and Reduce Energy Costs and Emissions provides actionable information for school districts as they consider how to use these funds.

This five-page brief expands on the “A Shifting Economy and Climate Require New Ways of Teaching” principle with examples from the field, questions to ask, resources to inform local decision-making, and opportunities for district action:

1. Advance climate literacy at all grade levels.

2. Support integration of climate across all subjects.

3. Enhance climate-related career and technical education.

4. Leverage the campus as a laboratory for learning.

5. Seek out partnerships to enhance resources and capabilities.

6. Harness the power of the outdoors.

We encourage you to download, share, and discuss within your community.