Begun in 2011-2012, U.S. Department of
Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a recognition award that
honors schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions that are
making great strides in three Pillars: 1) reducing environmental
impact and costs, including waste, water, energy use, and
transportation; 2) improving the health and wellness of students
and staff, including environmental health of premises, nutrition,
and fitness; and 3) providing effective sustainability education,
including STEM, civic skills, and green career pathways. The award
is a tool to encourage state education agencies, stakeholders and
higher education officials to consider matters of facilities,
health and environment comprehensively and in coordination with
state health, environment and energy counterparts. In order to be
selected for federal recognition, schools, districts and
postsecondary institutions must be high achieving in all three of
the above Pillars, not just one area. Schools, districts, colleges
and universities apply to their state education authorities. State
authorities can submit up to six nominees to ED, documenting
achievement in all three Pillars. This information is used at the
Department to select the awardees. ED collects information on
nominees from state nominating authorities regarding their schools,
districts, and postsecondary nominees. State agencies are provided
sample applications for all three types of nominees for their use
and adaptation. Most states adapt the sample to their state
competition. There is no one federal application for the award, but
rather various applications determined by states. They do use a
required two-page Nominee Submission Form as a cover sheet, which
ED provides. This document, in school, district, and postsecondary
submission formats is attached. The burden varies greatly from
state authority to authority and how they chose to approach the
award. The recognition award is part of a U.S. Department of
Education (ED) effort to identify and communicate practices that
result in improved student engagement, academic achievement,
graduation rates, and workforce preparedness, and reinforce federal
efforts to increase energy independence and economic security.
Encouraging resource efficient schools, districts, and IHEs allows
administrators to dedicate more resources to instruction rather
than operational costs. Healthy schools and wellness practices
ensure that all students learn in an environment conducive to
achieving their full potential, free of the health disparities that
can aggravate achievement gaps. Sustainability education helps
students engage in hands-on learning, hone critical thinking
skills, learn many disciplines and develop a solid foundation in
STEM subjects. It motivates postsecondary students in many
disciplines, and especially those underserved in STEM subjects, to
persist and graduate with sought after degrees and robust civic
skills. So that the Administration can receive states’ nominations,
ED seeks to provide the Nominee Presentation Form to states –
essentially a cover sheet for states’ evaluation of their nominees
to ED – in three versions; one for school nominees, another for
district nominees, and a third form for postsecondary
nominees.
US Code:
20 USC 7243(b)(5) Name of Law: Elementary and Secondary
Education Act
PL:
Pub.L. 107 - 110 501 Name of Law: Innovative Programs and
Parental Choice Provisions
This is an extension of a
previous approved information collection request. Burden and
responses were adjusted to correct the estimate based on recent
data and changes in process. This results in a reduction in burden
of 4,671 hours and 1,413 responses. Total burden and responses is
1,350 hours and 30 responses respectively.
$10,000
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Andrea Falken 202 205-0708
andrea.falken@ed.gov
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.