AB 2158

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, local educational agencies throughout the state provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, and existing law establishes courses of study for those pupils. This bill would encourage school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to integrate outdoor learning into standards-aligned instruction across subject areas, as provided. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns the department numerous duties relating to the governance and funding of local educational agencies. This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2028, to develop and maintain on its internet website statewide guidance on outdoor learning. The bill would also require the department, in carrying out these provisions, to consult with county offices of education, classroom educators, tribal partners, environmental literacy experts, and community organizations with experience in outdoor learning. The bill would authorize the department, subject to an appropriation, to provide resources to address the particular needs of each local educational agency. This bill would establish the Statewide Outdoor Learning Pilot Program for a period of 3 years following an appropriation of funds for this purpose to, among other things, investigate the effectiveness of outdoor learning in improving pupil outcomes, and gather statewide evidence to inform future legislative and budgetary decisions. The bill would require the Superintendent to, as part of this pilot program, award grants to six pilot sites with representation from northern, southern, and central California. The bill would require the Superintendent, by December 31 of the final year of the pilot program, to publish a final report summarizing, among other things, the outcomes of the pilot program. The bill would make the pilot program subject to an appropriation by the Legislature.