WHAT'S HAPPENING?

A few years ago, the Office of the State Superintendent for Education made an exciting investment- hiring Out Teach to design 63 Outdoor Learning Labs that bring science and math learning to life for young people. But since this initial funding, the government has done nothing to fund the actual building of these sites, leaving the plans to languish and leaving our students without this incredible, experiential learning tool. Despite spending $515 million in capital budget dollars on a new stadium and $70 million on downtown streetscape re-designs, Mayor Bowser did not fund our requested 2 MILLION in capital dollars to spark a love for STEM for students and prepare them for the STEM jobs of the future.

MYTH: Outdoor Learning was just a pandemic thing that we don't need anymore.

REALITY: Leveraging the outdoors as a learning and teaching tool has been a needed strategy before, during, and after the pandemic. Studies demonstrate that children learn best with hands-on real-world
learning. Beyond expanding where children learn, outdoor learning elevates how children learn with exciting real-world experiences that deepen learning. Outdoor Learning improves student behaviors, attendance, engagement in class and student (and educator) mental health. While we know that some were attracted to invest in outdoor learning as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits of experiential science and math learning in outdoor spaces go
far beyond a response to public health. They must be part of how we re-imaging education going forward.

FACTS:
* Research shows that students’ career interests begin to solidify by 6th grade and that providing hands-on outdoor learning experiences in the early years is one of the best ways to engage and empower students. Far too often, the education system waits until middle or high school to expose students to science, and the research tells us that this is too late.

* Peer-reviewed research proves that outdoor learning improves student academic achievement, engagement, attendance and mental health.

* This is an equity issue. Many students who grow up in urban environments are not given the opportunity to connect with nature and take advantage of the many academic, physical and mental health benefits associate with going outside. Learn more here  and here.
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WHAT CAN YOU DO? 

EMAIL DC COUNCIL MEMBERS: ​ASK THEM TO FUND OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS!

LEARN MORE: Outdoor Learning Comes to Life at Whittier Elementary in DC!

SEE WHAT OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS CAN LOOK LIKE!

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