Bill S.2668

FILED ON: 2/7/2024

SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2668

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act implementing elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate literacy education across the Commonwealth.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section.  

Section 2BBBBBB (a). To achieve, promote and support the instruction of climate science education for K-12 public school students in districts across the commonwealth, there shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust Fund.  There shall be credited to the fund: (1) revenue from appropriations and other money authorized by the general court and specifically designated to be credited to the fund; (2) funds from public and private sources such as gifts, grants, and donations to further climate science education; and (3) interest earned on money in the fund.  Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.    

 (b) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council established in section 1U(b) of chapter 69 of the General Laws, shall make expenditures from the fund to support Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy education.  In making such expenditures, the commissioner shall prioritize:  

(1) underserved communities across the commonwealth including those public schools or school districts with high concentrations of economically-disadvantaged students; those public schools or school districts which serve high proportion of students from environmental justice populations, as defined in section 62 of chapter 30; or which are located in environmental justice populations; and 

(2) communities that have or will in the future experience disproportionate effects of the change in climate. 

SECTION 2. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “skills”, in line 38, the following words:- interdisciplinary climate literacy

SECTION 3. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T the following new section:-

Section 1U. Elementary and Secondary Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy 

(a) Each district may implement an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Plan that will provide students with an understanding of the causes of, impacts from, and solutions to anthropogenic climate change. Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy shall include, but not be limited to, an understanding of climate change’s nexus to the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, history, social sciences, civics, and government, with a focus on climate justice and equitable climate solutions.

(b) A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or collaborative school may incorporate the climate change standards established pursuant to section 1D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum including, but not limited to, science, history and social sciences, technology or business.

(c) The commissioner shall create and engage an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Advisory Council. The commissioner, in consultation with the Council, shall provide guidelines on the development and implementation of district-level Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Plans.  The council shall include: youth leaders from a range of communities across the Commonwealth, including representatives of environmental justice neighborhoods; representatives of environmental justice organizations; teachers representing multiple disciplines; educator union representatives with expertise in climate change and climate justice; and experts in climate science and solutions.  The Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council shall seek to ensure that each plan:  

(1) was created with the involvement and input of youth leaders from the district; 

(2) was developed in consultation with environmental, civics, and climate justice organizations or professionals; and 

(3) provides equivalent instruction and opportunities for bilingual students and English language learners. 

(d) The department may provide additional support and outreach including, but not limited to, statewide and regional training, meetings or conferences, additional staff to support students and teachers, and opportunities for districts and stakeholders to assess and share evidence-based best practices in support of climate change education, and to provide feedback and recommendations to the department.  

(e) The department shall utilize funding from the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust Fund and may apply for federal, state or other funding.