Engaging the Transition Team for the Department of Education

In December, we had the opportunity to offer our support and share our federal policy recommendations — A Climate-Ambitious Agenda for America's Public Schools — with representatives from President-Elect Biden's transition team for the Department of Education.

Our most important message was that the things we care about — student health and safety, learning and educational equity — are being undermined in fundamental ways by climate change. Rebuilding our schools in the wake of COVID — and rebuilding the Department of Education in the wake of the previous administration — is an opportunity to provide leadership and guidance that support students and educators beyond this pandemic moment and fiscal crisis for schools.

Watch Jonathan’s prepared remarks below.

The good news is that there are great models, proof points, and work underway in diverse states and geographies. The coalition to get this done exists and is growing. And leadership signals from the new Secretary and this Administration will energize this coalition.

There is much that can get done through leadership and authorities that already exist. We have specific examples in our materials — including naming climate and environmental justice as a priorities for the Department and creating a new position reporting directly to the Secretary with a mandate to lead and coordinate the Department’s climate work.

There is even more that can be done by ensuring that legislation on infrastructure, national service, workforce development, and CTE is climate aware at the least, and even better, climate ambitious to make the most of the moment.