Leading your school toward California Green Ribbon recognition

Across California, the signs of climate change are no longer possible to ignore: smoky skies, floods, extreme heat days, and students mostly learning indoors when they could be outside. School leaders are installing solar panels, creating shaded courtyards, and establishing campus gardens, but these steps are only the beginning of addressing a much larger issue.

The California Green Ribbon Schools Award (CA-GRS) shows that sustainability is about more than just lowering carbon footprints — it also focuses on student well-being and preparing future eco-minded individuals. Making sustainability a core part of students’ lives should be a critical priority for every school.

For schools that have applied to be California Green Ribbon Schools, sustainability now influences every part of school life, not solely clubs or special classes. The CA-GRS application gives California educators a practical guide to make schools models of environmental learning and community wellness. Making sustainability part of school culture helps students achieve academically and learn responsibility, which is the focus of schools’ missions today.

Why sustainability? Why now? Regardless of what the trends are in the current debate on climate change, the fact is that it is unavoidable; it affects students and staff every day. Air quality warnings, extreme heat, and school closures due to flooding or wildfire smoke disrupt attendance, learning, and well-being. Students around the world are organizing walkouts, starting eco-clubs, and asking schools to turn classroom sustainability lessons into real action. The message is clear: lessons in responsible eco-practices should be implemented.

Research supports what many teachers already notice: sustainable practices improve both health and learning. Well-designed classroom environments enhance student outcomes, and contact with nature strengthens attention, well-being, and engagement (Barrett et al., 2013; Chawla, 2015). Outdoor classrooms and garden-based learning extend these benefits, helping students grow academically, emotionally, and physically.

However, sustainability is not merely a bonus; it is also an equity issue. Students in low-income areas often face more environmental challenges, but they have the most to gain from healthier, more resilient schools. More schools are making sustainability a core part of their mission, and California continues to have one of the largest groups of Green Ribbon applicants nationwide (U.S. Department of Education, 2024). Many are Title I schools, showing that commitment, not just resources, can lead to meaningful progress. The main question now is how schools will move forward, and the California Green Ribbon Schools application offers a clear path.

A whole-school vision for change A sustainable school is more than just a collection of green projects — it functions as a whole system. A comprehensive strategy for change comprises five key areas: student well-being, curriculum, facilities, operations, and governance. When these areas work together, school administrators can build lasting momentum.

Student health and well-being Students need to be at the center of sustainability efforts. Schools cannot be truly sustainable if their students are unwell, physically, mentally, or emotionally. Daily time outdoors, access to healthy food, and chances for mindfulness help students thrive.

In the Berkeley Unified School District, for example, children plant and harvest fruit in school gardens that also serve as outdoor classrooms (Berkeley Unified School District, 2024). Furthermore, through its 2022 Green Schools for All Resolution, LAUSD is working to transform paved schoolyards into vibrant, sustainable green spaces, committing to convert at least 30 percent of hard surfaces across all campuses by 2035 (Los Angeles Unified School District, 2023). Recent research suggests that letting kids spend time in natural environments, whether a park, a forest, or a green space, is a vital tool for their emotional and behavioral development (Caryl et al, 2024). In general, these programs help students feel they belong and highlight the importance of well-being and sustainability.

Other examples include the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023), which fits well with California’s Green Ribbon Schools application because both focus on how student health impacts learning. Schools that support healthy eating, safe walking routes, and mental health programs help students build habits that last long after graduation.

Curriculum and instruction Sustainability is most effective when it is part of daily learning, not just an add-on. The UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Goals framework encourages including sustainability in all subjects (UNESCO, 2017). For instance, students at Village Montessori School in Bluemont, Virginia, designed and planted a “Village of Pollen” pollinator garden, then used it to conduct investigations, create interpretive skits, and engage the community (Village Montessori School, 2022). California teachers could use similar cross-disciplinary methods, connecting environmental science with civics, math, or literature, to help students understand why sustainability matters in real life.

Programs such as Project Learning Tree, the California Environmental Literacy Initiative, and the Green Schools Alliance offer free lesson plans covering climate science, systems thinking, and leadership. Activities like waste audits, energy-saving projects, and the promotion of safe bike paths help students build teamwork, critical thinking, and civic involvement while connecting classroom learning to the community.

Facilities environment School buildings can be used as teaching tools by incorporating features such as natural lighting, clean air, and energy-efficient design, thereby improving learning and demonstrating care for the environment. California schools that follow Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) standards demonstrate that sustainable design is both achievable and cost-effective.

Monterey Bay Charter School’s new campus was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards, incorporating daylighting, natural ventilation, and water-efficient native landscaping to create a campus that functions as a living science laboratory (NMR Design Group, 2015). Simple steps, like planting shade trees, using LED lights, or landscaping with reclaimed water, show students a daily commitment to sustainability.

The Green Ribbon program encourages schools to use their buildings as living labs. Some schools have installed dashboards that display real-time solar power or water use so that students can study the data in math and science classes.

Operation and resource management Sustainability can become a habit through daily routines. In the San Francisco Unified School District, students helped lead lunchroom recycling and composting through programs like SF Environment’s Food to Flowers! (SF Environment, 2018) and site-based teams (e.g., “Clean Green Team,” “Compost Monitors”). Schools also recruit Zero Waste Champions, including student groups, to increase participation.

The San Diego Unified School District operates electric buses, which reduce pollution and save money (San Diego Unified School District, 2023). These actions show that daily operations can be learning opportunities. Regular practices like tracking energy use and choosing transportation options teach stewardship as an ongoing habit, not just a one-time project. Administrators can use state programs such as Energy Star for K-12 Schools and the California Schools Healthy Air, Plumbing, and Efficiency Program to help pay for renovations.

Governance and leadership It is well known that robust leadership is necessary for lasting change. Policies and budgets need to support sustainability for long-term results. The Eco-Schools USA also demonstrates how embedding sustainability into a school’s strategic plan can drive measurable change across campus operations, curriculum, and community engagement (National Wildlife Federation, 2024).

In California, connecting sustainability goals to the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) can help keep efforts consistent and accountable. Sharing results, like energy savings or student involvement in environmental activities, helps keep the board engaged. Santa Clara Unified School District adopted a Climate Change and Sustainability Resolution in May 2022, directing districtwide actions and establishing an Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Committee to drive implementation (Santa Clara Unified School District, 2022). Making sustainability part of the system protects progress from changes in leadership or budget cycles.

The Green Ribbon pathway How does a school begin the journey toward becoming a California Green Ribbon School? While the vision may sound ambitious, it starts with small, focused steps that build momentum over time. Here is how educational leaders can inspire their communities and guide their schools through the five stages of building a whole-school sustainability initiative.

Step 1: Build a Green Leadership Team Every successful movement begins with collaboration. Forming a Green Leadership Team establishes a foundation for your school’s sustainability efforts. This team should represent all voices in your school community: administrators, teachers, facilities staff, food service professionals, parents, and students. Diversity in perspectives ensures that initiatives are practical, inclusive, and comprehensive.

The team’s first goal is to create a shared vision and mission that reflects the school’s commitment to environmental health, fiscal responsibility, and student well-being. Designate a team lead or sustainability coordinator who can facilitate meetings and ensure progress stays on track. Regular communication and collaboration will turn sustainability from a side project into an integrated part of the school’s culture and operations.

Step 2: Conduct a sustainability audit Before charting a path forward, it is essential to understand where your school currently stands. A sustainability audit serves as both a baseline and a discovery process. Schools can use the CA-GRS application as a guide to assess energy use, water conservation, waste management, transportation options, indoor air quality, and outdoor learning spaces.

This process often reveals hidden successes, a thriving garden program, a bike-to-school initiative, or staff wellness policies that can be expanded and celebrated. It also highlights opportunities for growth, such as reducing single-use plastics, improving recycling systems, or enhancing energy efficiency. The audit provides the data and insight necessary to set realistic goals and measure progress meaningfully.

Step 3: Develop an action plan With a clear picture of your current state, the next step is to craft a sustainability action plan that translates vision into tangible goals. This plan should align with the three pillars of the CA-GRS program:

• Reducing environmental impact and costs.
• Improving health and wellness.
• Providing effective environmental and sustainability education.

Start by setting short-term and long-term goals — for example, reducing paper use by 20 percent within a year or incorporating outdoor learning into every grade level by 2026. Connect these goals to your Local Control and Accountability Plan to embed sustainability within the school’s strategic priorities. Assign responsibilities, establish timelines, and identify performance indicators so progress can be tracked and celebrated.

Step 4: Engage the school community A plan only thrives when people believe in it. Engagement turns sustainability from an administrative effort into a shared cultural value. Communicate your goals and milestones broadly — through newsletters, school assemblies, classroom projects, and social media — to create awareness and excitement.

Students are natural champions of environmental action. Involve them through hands-on learning opportunities, such as waste audits, energy monitoring, or garden management. Partner with local organizations, city agencies, and nonprofits to bring expertise and resources to your projects. Encourage families to participate by adopting sustainable habits at home or volunteering for green campus events.

Most importantly, celebrate successes, whether it is achieving a recycling milestone, installing solar panels, or hosting a walk-to-school day. Recognition fuels motivation and helps sustainability become an enduring part of your school identity.

Step 5: Document and apply for CA-GRS recognition The final step is to bring your journey full circle by applying for California Green Ribbon School recognition. The application process itself is a powerful reflection tool; it allows schools to evaluate their progress, identify next steps, and share their story of transformation. Gather evidence such as photos, data reports, policies, and narratives that demonstrate achievements in each pillar.

Even if your school is early in the process, applying can set a benchmark and inspire continued growth year over year. Recognition through CA-GRS not only honors your efforts but also positions your school as a model for others in your district and community.

The broader impact Beyond awards and recognition, sustainability initiatives nurture the kind of education that prepares students for the future. When children learn in schools that practice what they preach, conserving energy, protecting natural resources, and promoting wellness, they internalize those lessons for life.

Staff morale improves in cleaner, greener environments, and schools often experience cost savings that can be reinvested in academic programs. The California Green Ribbon Schools Award program is not just about environmental metrics— it is about building a culture of care for our planet, our students, and each other. As schools lead the way, they create ripple effects that extend far beyond the classroom walls, influencing families, neighborhoods, and the next generation of civic leaders.

Getting started For schools ready to embark on this journey, the California Environmental Literacy Initiative provides the CA-GRS Application Toolkit (California Environmental Literacy Initiative, 2024), which includes timelines, resources, and examples of successful applications. Start with a conversation at your next staff meeting, invite interested colleagues to join your Green Leadership Team, and take that first audit of your school’s current practices.

In California, schools are showing the connection between sustainability and student performance. Every program, whether it uses solar canopies, mindfulness gardens, or curriculum changes, brings the state closer to a vision of education in a viable future.

The next step for school leaders is simple: start with what you have and commit to ongoing improvement. Form a Green Team, conduct an audit, and involve your community. Every action helps build environmental literacy and student wellness. California’s Green Ribbon Schools show that when sustainability guides education, learning becomes transformative.

The question is not whether sustainability belongs in schools: it already does. The real challenge is how quickly we can make it an inherent part of every school. For administrators ready to lead, the path is clear: apply for recognition not as a reward, but as a statement of purpose to educate, inspire, and sustain.

Andrea Somoza-Norton, Ed.D., is an associate professor in the M.S. Educational Leadership and Administration program at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. George Garcia is an education program consultant for the California Department of Education, serving in the Office of Learning Environments and leading the California Green Ribbon Schools (CA-GRS) Award Program.