June 25, 2026
Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Magaziner, and Ms. Tlaib) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
To strengthen and expand the Green Ribbon Schools Program at the Department of Education by boosting the capacity of participating States to expand the number of schools, applicants, and nominees engaged around environmental, environmental literacy, and environmental health goals, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Green Ribbon Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Green Ribbon Schools Program
(a) Definitions
In this section:
(1) ESEA definitions
The terms elementary school, local educational agency, secondary school, Secretary, and State educational agency have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Eligible entity
The term eligible entity means an elementary school, secondary school, school funded or operated by the Bureau of Indian Education, local educational agency, or institution of higher education.
(3) Environmentally literate
The term environmentally literate, when used with respect to an individual, means the capacity to—
(A)
perceive and interpret the relative health of environmental systems and the interrelationships between natural, economic, and social systems and technology; and
(B)
assess options and take appropriate action to maintain, restore, or improve the health of the environmental systems and promote sustainable development.
(4) Green Ribbon pillars
The term Green Ribbon pillars means the following 3 interrelated aspirational goals:
(A)
100 percent of the graduates of the eligible entity or the schools served by the eligible entity are environmentally literate.
(B)
The environmental impacts of the eligible entity’s buildings, grounds, and operations are targeting significant emission reductions with a long-term goal of 100 percent reduction.
(C)
The eligible entity has a net positive impact on the environmental health of its students and staff.
(5) Green Ribbon school award winner
The term Green Ribbon School award winner means an eligible entity that has received an award of recognition from the Department of Education for high performance in making progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars, in accordance with subsection (b)(4).
(6) Institution of higher education
The term institution of higher education has the meaning given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
(b) Green Ribbon School Program of the Department of Education
(1) In general
The Secretary shall conduct a program, which shall be known as the Green Ribbon Schools Program
, to reach and engage more schools by—
(A)
encouraging eligible entities to implement the Green Ribbon pillars;
(B)
recognizing high performance in the Green Ribbon pillars by eligible entities, through voluntary partnership with States;
(C)
increasing the number of participating local educational agencies and schools that are receiving resources from the program, including those not pursuing an award on the date of enactment of this Act;
(D)
engaging with public and private stakeholders to maximize positive impact; and
(E)
supporting schools in implementing measures to reduce energy and water use and costs, increase resilience, increase environmental literacy, and improve indoor air and other conditions for health and wellness.
(2) Update
(A) In General
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall conduct a review and update the criteria for the Green Ribbon school award winner program, including scoring, which shall include—
(i)
ensuring that health and wellness criteria align with programs of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are associated with benefitting student health, thinking, and the ability to learn;
(ii)
ensuring that environmental criteria emphasize the role of schools in mitigating and adapting to climate change, including school resiliency to natural disasters; and
(iii)
ensuring that environmental and sustainability literacy criteria encourage applicants to identify methods of assessment of student knowledge and skills and set goals for literacy among graduates.
(B) Federal Register
The Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register the final updated criteria for the Green Ribbon school award winner program and shall allow for, and address, any public comments related to the updated criteria.
(3) Grants and awards
In conducting the Green Ribbon Schools Program, the Secretary shall, from the amounts made available to carry out this Act—
(A)
reserve not less than $250,000 for the Secretary of the Interior to carry out the activities under subsection (c)(7) with respect to schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Education;
(B)
award grants to State educational agencies under subsection (c); and
(C)
provide an honorarium to each Green Ribbon School award winner in an amount equal to $10,000, subject to appropriations.
(4) Studies, research, and surveys
The Secretary may conduct studies, research, and surveys to inform the Green Ribbon Schools Program.
(5) Green Ribbon school awards
Each year, regardless of whether funds are available for the honoraria described in paragraph (2)(C), the Secretary shall—
(A)
establish a process through which—
(i)
State educational agencies may nominate eligible entities for recognition of high performance in making progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars; and
(ii)
the Secretary of the Interior, operating through the Bureau of Indian Education, may nominate eligible entities that are schools operated or funded by the Bureau for such recognition; and
(B)
award the Green Ribbon School award to nominated eligible entities that the Secretary determines have shown high performance in making progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
(6) Consultation
The Secretary shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to align the Green Ribbon Schools Program with the science on school environments and school health cited by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(7) Reports
(A) Annual reports
(i) In general
Not later than November 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall publish a report describing the Green Ribbon Schools Program of the prior fiscal year.
(ii) Content of annual reports
Each annual report described in clause (i) shall—
(I)
describe the activities and outcomes of the Department of Education and State grant award winners, including the uses of grant funds to reach and engage additional schools, and the successes and challenges of the Green Ribbon Schools Program;
(II)
describe the plan of State grant award winners to extend opportunities to become a Green Ribbon School award winner to schools that are eligible to receive funds under part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311 et seq.) or other schools that are low-income schools, schools in disadvantaged or rural or remote communities, or schools that serve a significant number of students with disabilities; and
(III)
provide a proposed plan for the following year.
(B) Biannual reports
Not later than November 1, 2028, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall publish a report describing key programs and policies of each State in supporting its schools in making progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars.
(c) State grant program
(1) In general
The Secretary shall award grants to State educational agencies, on a competitive basis, for the purpose of supporting and engaging eligible entities as green schools.
(2) Applications
A State educational agency that desires to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require, including an assurance that the agency will—
(A)
expend not less than 40 percent of the grant funds to support underresourced schools; and
(B)
provide documentation to the Secretary demonstrating compliance with the requirement under subparagraph (A).
(3) Criteria
In selecting grant recipients under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider the State educational agency’s proposed program or program expansion in terms of—
(A)
the projected impact and proposed impact metrics;
(B)
the incorporation of specific activities to ensure underresourced eligible entities benefit and have opportunities to participate;
(C)
the extent to which stakeholders and partnerships are included;
(D)
innovative approaches to scaling green school practices and learning;
(E)
the engagement of past award winners in the program, including as mentors or advisors to other eligible entities; and
(F)
other criteria as may be identified by the Secretary.
(4) Amount of grants
In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may determine the amount of each grant award, except that no grant award shall be for an amount that is less than $250,000 nor more than $1,000,000.
(5) Time period
Grant funds awarded under this subsection shall be available for use by the grant awardee for not more than 3 years.
(6) Allowed uses
A State educational agency that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to increase and support eligible entities in becoming Green Ribbon School award winners, including by—
(A)
establishing State-level Green Ribbon awards and recognition events;
(B)
working in partnership with nonprofit green school organizations and other organizations, utilities, businesses, and other State and local governmental entities to inform, educate, and support eligible entities regarding actions to make progress toward all 3 of the Green Ribbon pillars;
(C)
using resources from the Department of Education and its green schools partners, as appropriate, to curate and disseminate resources about best green school practices and provide statewide training and professional development in the Green Ribbon pillars;
(D)
utilizing innovative ways to promote—
(i)
the implementation of green school practices; and
(ii)
the Green Ribbon Schools Program and any State-level Green Ribbon schools program; and
(E)
providing statewide training and professional development in the Green Ribbon pillars.
Sec. 3. Institute of Museum and Library Services Green Ribbon Award Program
(a) Purpose
The purpose of this section is to develop and implement a Green Ribbon award program for nonformal learning institutions at the Institute of Museum and Library Services in order to recognize and help advance excellence in the greening of nonformal learning institutions.
(b) Definition
In this section, the term nonformal learning institutions includes public and private libraries, museums, arboretums, botanical gardens, nature centers, historical societies, historic preservation organizations, history museums, science and technology centers, planetariums, children’s museums, art museums, general museums, natural history museums, natural science museums, zoos, aquariums, and wildlife conservation centers.
(c) Establishment
Consistent with section 209 of the Museum and Library Services Act (20 U.S.C. 9107), the Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall establish an award program for nonformal learning institutions modeled on the Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools Program. The award program shall recognize and honor nonformal learning institutions that demonstrate high achievement in all 3 of the following goals:
(1)
Ensuring that their visitors are exposed through multiple learning modes to locally relevant information to advance understanding of the interconnection of the natural environment, built environment, and quality of life.
(2)
Significantly reducing their net environmental and carbon footprints, while using their own built and natural environment as a learning laboratory and a model of best practice for their host community.
(3)
Ensuring their institution has a net positive environmental impact on visitor and staff health.
(d) Award
The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall provide each national award winner under this section with an honorarium of $10,000.
(e) Consultation
The Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall consult with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to align the award program under this section with the science on school health studied by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sec. 4. Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Office of the Secretary of Education
(a) Establishment
There is established within the Office of the Secretary of Education, the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability that shall be composed of 3 full-time employees.
(b) Purpose
The Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability shall—
(1)
direct content and programming of a technical assistance center for school infrastructure;
(2)
liaise with partner Federal agencies that have programs, grants, and equities in school facilities, promote the National Clearinghouse's resources to schools, provide robust technical assistance to partner Federal agencies, local educational agencies, and State educational agencies, and oversee, promote, and expand the recognition award for the Green Ribbon Schools Program;
(3)
provide technical assistance, training, and, subject to appropriations, grants to State educational agencies and local educational agencies on issues related to educational facility planning, design, financing, construction, improvement, operation, and maintenance, including green building design and operation practices consistent with a commitment to tackling the climate crisis;
(4)
develop resources and assemble best practices on issues related to ensuring equitable access to healthy, educationally adequate, and environmentally and fiscally sustainable public school facilities and grounds;
(5)
recommend revisions to regulations of the Department of Education that pertain to school construction and renovation; and
(6)
consult with Federal agencies to ensure peer-reviewed recommendations and resources are incorporated into the work of the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability.
(c) Appropriation
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations
(a) In general
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act (except for section 4) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2028 through 2032.
(b) Reservations
The Secretary—
(1)
shall reserve 10 percent of the amount appropriated under subsection (a) to carry out section 3; and
(2)
may reserve not more than 5 percent of the amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year for administrative expenses.