Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to improve access to outdoor education for all Minnesota students, emphasizing equitable opportunities regardless of race, income, ability, or location. It recognizes the importance of outdoor activities in enhancing students' physical, emotional, and academic well-being.

Main Provisions

• Creation of Grant Program: The bill establishes the "Outdoor School for All" grant program. This initiative will provide funding to support immersive and accredited outdoor educational experiences for students in grades 4 to 8.
• Eligibility and Criteria: Grants will be awarded to accredited overnight outdoor schools and regional nonprofit learning centers. Programs must offer multi-day residential experiences focusing on outdoor-based learning.
• Curriculum and Integration: The curriculum for these programs should be research-based, covering environmental, ecological, and natural resource topics. They must be integrated with local school curricula to support the achievement of academic standards.
• Skill Development: The programs should enable students to develop leadership, critical thinking, self-sufficiency, decision-making, and social-emotional skills.
• Focus on Access and Inclusion: The bill highlights the need to make outdoor educational opportunities accessible to underserved students, including those with disabilities.

Significant Changes

• The bill introduces a new outdoor educational initiative within Minnesota Statutes chapter 84, providing a structured framework for delivering outdoor experiences to students statewide.
• It aims to make outdoor education more equitable across different demographics, addressing existing disparities in access.

Relevant Terms

outdoor education, grant program, equitable access, natural resources, learning centers, environmental curriculum, underserved students, students with disabilities, educational experiences, academic standards, leadership skills, critical thinking, inclusion, nonprofit learning centers.