Thanks to the work of passionate advocates like you, the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board of Directors voted this week to approve a comprehensive climate crisis response policy! As the Portland Mercury touted, this is one of the strongest climate policies in the nation for a school district. This means PPS will:
- Integrate climate and sustainability education into district-wide student curriculum;
- Ensure future PPS facilities are designed, built, and operated to maximize energy efficiency, climate pollution reduction, resiliency, and adaptability—including fossil-free school buildings and electric school buses;
- Prioritize support for frontline student and employee communities during climate-related events and natural disasters; and
- Establish a Climate Crisis Response Committee charged with monitoring effective implementation of these policies, composed of a majority of members who identify as people of color, and two members who are current PPS students.
Send a thank you note to the PPS board!
Our schools are a reflection of the values of the communities they serve. We thank Portland Public Schools for their leadership and look forward to taking additional steps with them and other school districts to further accelerate and bolster climate action efforts throughout Oregon.
