GRA Nomination Form, Framework and Instructions

Framework for Evaluation of Schools by Authorities Making Nominations to the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools
Three Green Ribbon Pillars	Pillar Element	Category	Green School Objectives	How a School Might Demonstrate Progress Toward these Goals:	Resources:
1. Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency - Buildings, grounds and operations: The school has made significant progress toward net zero environmental impact (zero carbon, solid waste, and hazardous waste footprints)	• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, using an energy audit or emissions inventory and reduction plan, cost-effective energy efficiency improvements and on-site renewable energy and/or purchase of green power	Energy and Greenhouse Gases	Earned EPA's ENERGY STAR  certification	Received certification: Yes/No	DOE and EPA ENERGY STAR for K-12 School Districts
			Reduction of total energy use intensity from an initial baseline measured in kBTU/square foot/year	Percent reduction from initial baseline tracked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager	ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
			All energy is derived from renewable sources	Percentage of energy consumption derived from on-site renewable energy generation:________% Percentage from purchased renewable energy: _____________%	Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE)
					DOE Wind for Schools Project
					USDA Fuels for Schools
			All building area that has been constructed or undergone major renovations in the past three years meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Green Globes or comparable standards	Percentage of all applicable building area meeting this goal	USGBC Center for Green Schools
					Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS)
					Green Globes
			Building achieves LEED Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance, CHPS Operations, Green Globes or comparable standards.	Applied for and received certification	Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in K-12 schools
					National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilites
					American Society of Heating, Refridgeating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Green Standards
					Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing Roofpoint
			School has fully implemented the Facility Energy Assessment Matrix within EPA's Guidelines for Energy Mangement	School building has been assessed with Federal Guiding Principles Checklist in Portfolio Manager	EPA's Guideliens for Energy Management Overview
					ENERGY Star for Federal Agencies
			GHG emissions from building energy use have been reduced or offset	Current Total GHG Emissions (MtCO2e) Baseline Total GHG Emissions (MtCO2e) Change from Baseline: GHG Emissions (MtCO2e)	DOE State Energy Program
					DOE America’s Home Energy Education Challenge
			Energy and water efficient product purchasing and procurement policy is in place	Yes/No	EPA WaterSense
					DOE Purchasing Specifications for Energy Efficient Products
			All furniture purchases are "level" certified by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assocation (BIFMA)	Percentage of total by cost	BIFMA Level Standard
	• Improved water quality, efficiency, and conservation;	Water	Reduction of total water use intensity from an initial baseline measured in gal/Square foot/year	Percent reduction from initial baseline tracked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager	EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager
			School carries out regular audits of facilities and irrigation systems are conducted to ensure they are free of significant water leaks and to identify opportunities for savings	Yes/No	EPA Watersense: Outdoor Water Use
			Irrigation system and schedule are appropriate for climate, soil conditions, plant materials, grading and season	Yes/No	USDA Community Facilities Loans and Grants
			All outdoor landscapes consist of water-efficient or regionally-appropriate plant choices	Yes/No
			Alternative water sources are used before potable water for irrigation wherever possible	Yes/No
			All potable water meets federal, state and local water quality standards, and drinking water sources are protected if drinking water is acquired from school's own well	Yes/No	EPA Drinking Water in Schools & Childcare Facilities
			School has a program to to control lead in drinking water including voluntary testing and implemention of measures to reduce lead exposure in drinking water is in place	Yes/No	National Resources Defense Council Green Squad
			All taps, faucets and fountains used for drinking and cooking are cleaned on a regular basis to reduce possible bacterial contamination; regularly clean faucet screens and aerators to remove particulate lead deposits	Yes/No AND specify how often cleaning is conducted
		Grounds	School grounds devoted to ecologically or socially beneficial uses, including those that give consideration to native wildlife	Nature of project and scope of impact.	Fish and Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitats
	• Reduced solid waste production, through increased recycling, reduced consumption, and improved management, reduction, or elimination of hazardous waste streams	Waste	All solid waste has been eliminated (reduce, recycle, & reuse policy/practices)	Percentage of waste that is diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling or composting as well as waste reduced and reused	EPA WasteWise
					EPA Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools
					Terra Cycle
					Grades fo Green Trash Redux
					Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl
					Do Something
			Office paper is composed of recycled content in accordance with EPA's Comprensive Procurement Guide or fiber from forests certified as responsibly managed by the Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, American Tree Farm System or comparable certification standard .	Percentage of total content by cost	EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guide
					Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
					Sustainabile Foresty Initiative (SFI)
					American Tree Farm System
					Green Seal
					Ecologo
			All office paper content is "totally chlorine-free" (TCF) or "processed-chlorine-free" (PCF)	Percentage of total content	Green Seal
					Ecologo
		Hazardous waste	All computer purchases are Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) certified	Percentage of total by cost	EPEAT
					Consortium for School Networking Initiative Green Computing for K-12 Schools
					Environmentally Friendly Printers Association
					Green Electronics Council
					Consumer Electronics Association Greener Gadgets
			Hazardous waste has been reduced or eliminated	Lbs. of hazardous waste generated per student/year. Hazardous Waste Policy for storage, management and disposal of laboratory chemicals and other areas with hazardous waste	EPA Reducing Risk from Hazardous Waste
					EPA Proper Maintenance, Removal and Disposal of PCB-Containing Lights
			Remaining hazardous waste is safely and properly managed in accordance to Federal and State regulations		CDC Hazardous Waste Self-Management Checklist
			All cleaning products and services in use are certified "green," or can otherwise demonstrate that they meet the environmental standards of established ecolabel programs. Custodial program is based in the principles of effective management and "green" service.	Applied for and is making progress toward certification to the ISSA Cleaning Industry Management Standard - Green Building (CIMS-GB), the Green Seal Standard for Commercial and Institutional Cleaning Services, GS-42 or equivalent standard	EPA Design for the Environment
					Green Seal
					Ecologo
					ISSA - CIMS Standard
					Green Cleaning for Healthy Schools
					EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign
	• Expanded use of alternative transportation to, during and from school, through active promotion of locally-available options and implementation of enabling projects and policies	Transportation	All students walk, bike, bus or carpool (2+ students in the car) to/from school	Percentage of students doing this	DOT Predestrian & Bicycle Safety
						Safe Routes to Schools
					Walking School Bus
					Anti-idling policy on file; signs posted stating that all vehicles, including school buses, are prohibited from idling on school premises, and Vehicle loading & unloading areas at least 25 feet away from all buildings air intakes (including doors and windows)	Actively enforced anti-idling policy	EPA Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools
School transportation use is more efficient and environmentally benign			Percentage of school-owned electric vehicles, or other means for school vehicles to demonstrate significant reductions in emissions	EPA Clean School Bus USA
				CHPS Transportation Plan
“Safe Pedestrian Routes” to school have been designated, distributed to parents and posted in the main office			Yes/No	Safe Routes to Schools
2.Healthy School Environments - Healthy Students and Staff: The school improves the health and performance of students and staff			• An integrated school environmental health program based on an operations and facility-wide environmental management system that considers student and staff health and safety in all practices related to design, construction, renovation, operations, and maintenance of schools and grounds	Integrated Pest Management	School is implementing an integrated pest management plan is in effect School provides notification of their pest control policies, methods of application and requirements for posting and pre-notification to parents and school employees; school maintains annual summaries of pesticide applications, copies of pesticide labels, copies of notices and MSDSs in an accessible location; and children are prohibited from entering the pesticide area for at least 8 hours following the application or longer, if feasible, or if required by the pesticide label.	Yes/No	EPA Integrated Pest Management for Schools
	Ventilation	Stricter of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 (Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality) OR state or local code AND Local exhaust systems (including dust collection systems, paint booths, fume hoods) installed at airborne contaminant sources, including science labs, copy/printing facilities, chemical storage rooms		Yes/No	American Society of Heating, Refridgeating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Green Standards
	Contaminant Controls	Radon: All ground-contact classrooms tested for radon within the past 24 months and all Levels >4 pCi/L mitigated in conformance with ASTM E2121		Percentage	EPA Radon Information
		Carbon Monoxide: School has inventory of all combustion appliances & annually inspects these appliances; CO alarms installed & meet the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) code 720; OR school does not have combustion appliances		Yes/No	EPA Health Schools Environment Assessment Tool
		Mercury: School has replaced all unnecessary mercury containing devices with non-mercury devices AND School recycles or disposes of unwanted mercury laboratory chemicals, mercury thermometers, gauges and other devices in accordance with federal, state and local environmental regulations		Yes/No	EPA Schools and Mercury
		Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA): Wooden decks, stairs, playground equipment or other structures treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate have been replaced or sealed within the past 12 months		Yes/No
		Secondhand Tobacco Smoke: Smoking prohibited on campus		Yes/No	CDC Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tabacco Use
	Asthma Control	School has an asthma management program in place consistent with the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program’s (NAEPP) Asthma Friendly Schools Guidelines		Yes/No	EPA Managing Asthma in Schools
					CDC Tools for Making Your School Asthma-Friendly
	Indoor Air quality	School has developed and implemented a comprehensive indoor air quality management program consistent with IAQ Tools for Schools		Yes/No	EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
					EPA Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool
					EPA Managing Asbestos in Schools
					EPA School Flag Program
					CDC American Lung Association Asthma Friendly Schools Toolkit
	Moisture Control	All structures visually inspected and free of mold, moisture & water leakage. Indoor relative humidity maintained below 60% (cold climates during freezing temperatures should target 20-30%). Moisture resistant materials/protective systems installed (e.g., flooring, tub/shower, backing, and piping)		Yes/No	EPA Mold Remidiation in Schools and Commercial Buildings
	Chemical Management	School has a chemical management program in place that includes the following elements: -Chemical purchasing policy, including low- or no-VOC products -Chemical inventory -Storage and labeling -Training and handling -Hazard communication -Spills, clean-up and disposal - Select DFE, Green Seal, Eco Logo or comparable standard, approved cleaning products		Yes/No	EPA Design for the Environment
					Green Seal
					Ecologo
					EPA Buy Clean
					EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign
					• High standards of nutrition, fitness, and quantity of quality outdoor time for both students and staff	Fitness and Outdoor Time	Students engage in at least 150 minutes of school-supervised physical education and/or outdoor time per week	Percentage	The First Lady's Let's Move!
	The President's Challenge
	Partnership for A Healthier America
	Alliance for a Healthier Generation
	Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prevent Obesity
	Healthy Schools Campaign, School Food and Fitness
	National Healthy Schools Day
	Food	Has earned USDA HealthierUS School Challenge Gold Award of Distinction for school food	Yes/No OR list other HealthierUS School Challenge award level earned	USDA HealthierUS School Challenge
		All food purchased is certified as environmentally preferable (e.g. Organic, FairTrade, Food Alliance, Rainforest Alliance)	Yes/no	USDA Farm to School Program
				USDA National Organic Program
				National Farm to School Network
		All food grown and processed within 200 miles of the school, which may include on school grounds.	Percentage	CNCS: Expand Access to Healthy Local Food
				Alliance for a Healthier Generation
				Better School Food
				The Healthy School Lunch Campaign
	UV Safety	School participates in Sunwise Program	Yes/No	EPA Sunwise Program
	3. Environmental and Sustainability Education: 100% of the school's graduates are environmentally and sustainability literate	• Interdisciplinary learning about the key relationships between dynamic environmental, energy and human systems	Learning and Environmental Literacy	Students learn about the environment and sustainability at every grade level within the school, incorporating both content and practice	Yes/No	ED Federal Resources fro Educational Excellence (FREE), Environment
					NOAA Climate Services: Education
Students have a meaningful outdoor experience(s) at every grade level; a meaningful experience is considered to be an investigative or experiential project that engages students in critical thinking, problem solving and decision making					Yes/No		US Global Change Research Program Climate Change Toolkit for Educators
							NOAA B-WET
							EPA Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans
Environment and sustainability are integrated throughout the curriculum					Yes/No		DOE H2 Educate
							NAAEE Framwork for Assessing Environmental Literacy
Professional development opportunities in environmental and sustainability education are available to all teachers					Yes/No	DOE EnergyKids
						US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
Graduates score proficient or better on state or school environmental science or environmental education assessments					Percentage of graduates scoring proficient or better	NAEE's Excellence in Environmenttal Education: Guidelines for Learning (K-12)
						Facing the Future Curriculum and Lesson Finder
Students score proficient or better on science education assessments					Percentage of graduates who have completed AP Environmental Science Percentage of graduates scoring 3 or better	Green Education Foundation Sustinability Education Clearinghouse
						NOAA/ EPA Environmental Education Evaluation Resource Assistant
School has high percentages of enrollment in AP Environmental Science; students receive scores of 3 or better on AP Environmental Science exam				Yes/No	Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators
					Teachers Try Science
					EPA Student's Guide to Global Climate Change
School has established or moves toward establishing an environmental or sustainability literacy graduation requirement				Yes/No	EPA Energy Star Join the Fight Against Climate Change
					Biology Teacher Resources
					NSF/ NOAA Earth System Science Education Alliance Courses
• Use of the environment and sustainability to develop STEM content knowledge and thinking skills to prepare graduates for the 21st century technology-driven economy				Environmental education pays particular attention to scientific practices, such as asking questions, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, constructing explanations, and engaging in argument from evidence	As measured by percentages of enrollment in environmental and other earth sciences, assessments and post-secondary school or career intended focus,	White House Educate to Innovate
						Community Resources for Science
						EPA Environmental Education Grants
						DOE STEM Teacher Development
						NSF ILab Central
				Students graduate with robust general science education that includes a deep understanding of life, physical, and earth sciences	Yes/No	Bayer Making Science Make Sense
						NSF Live Science
						NSF National Lab Network
• Development of civic engagement knowledge and skills, and students' application of these to address sustainability and environmental issues in their community				Community and Civic Engagement	The curriculum provides a demonstrated connection between classroom content and college and career readiness, particularly to post-secondary options that focus on environmental and sustainability fields studies and/or careers	Yes/No	National Park Service Education Resources
							USDA Agriculture in the Classroom
							NSF/ NOAA Centers for Ocean Sciences for Education Excellence
		Students are required to conduct an age-appropriate community engagement project around a self-selected environmental or sustainability topic at every grade level			Percentage of students who satisfactorily complete a project	National Wildliofe Federation Get Outside
						Hands on the Land
		All graduates score proficient or better in a community and civic engagement skills assessment			Percentage of graduates scoring proficient or better	Coastal America
		School partners with local academic, business and informal science institutions and/or other schools to help advance the school toward the 3 Pillars and/or assist the progress of (an)other school(s), particularly a school with lesser capacity in these areas.			Scope and impact of partnerships	Canon Envirothon
						Lexus Eco-Challenge
						Kohl’s Associates in Action
						Donors Choose
		Schools develop outdoor classrooms on their grounds including native plantings and use them to teach an array of subjects in context, engage the broader community and develop civic skills			Existence of outdoor classroom. Scope and impact of learning, community engagement and service learning	Fish and Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitats
			School Garden Wizard
			Green Thumb Challenge
			Association of Zoos and Aquariums