HR 8303
Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026
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Bill overview
The Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026 aims to improve school environments by authorizing the Secretary of Education to award grants for the development of ‘revitalized schoolyards.’ These spaces are intended to be like parks, incorporating elements like gardens, trees, and outdoor learning areas, while also promoting nature play and community engagement. The grants are structured in cohorts, with planning grants followed by implementation grants, and prioritize schools with a high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as tribal schools.
Key provisions
- Grants are awarded in cohorts: planning and then implementation.
- Funding is prioritized for schools with a high percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch.
- Grants can be used to develop concept plans and implement revitalized schoolyard designs.
- Eligible entities include local educational agencies, educational service agencies, and nonprofit organizations with expertise in outdoor learning.
- A portion of the funds are reserved for schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education or tribal governments.
- Planning grants can be used to hire grant writers or consultants.
- Implementation grants require matching funds from non-Federal sources, with a potential waiver for schools serving a high percentage of low-income students.
- The Secretary will maintain a clearinghouse of information on best practices for revitalized schoolyards.
Who is affected
- Local educational agencies
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 8303
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to revitalize schoolyards.
This Act may be cited as the Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026
.
In this Act:
The term eligible entity means—
a local educational agency;
an educational service agency; or
a nonprofit organization that has expertise in outdoor learning, nature play, spaces, or outdoor education working in partnership with a local educational agency.
The terms educational service agency, elementary school, high school, local educational agency, and secondary school have the meanings given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
The term revitalized schoolyard—
means a park-like outdoor environment at an elementary school or secondary school that has been updated to—
may—
serve as a facility for shared public use.
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.
The term shared public use means use as public facility that, to the extent feasible, is open and accessible to the public, outside of school hours, but during daylight hours.
From the amount appropriated to carry out this Act for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve 5 percent for the Secretary of the Interior to carry out this Act for schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education or schools that are operated by an Indian Tribe, or an organization controlled or sanctioned by an Indian tribal government, for the children of that Tribe under a contract with, or grant from, the Department of the Interior under the Indian Self-Determination Act (25 U.S.C. 5321 et seq.) or the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 U.S.C. 2501 et seq.).
Grants awarded under this Act shall be awarded in cohorts on a biennial cycle.
Each cohort shall be eligible for—
a planning grant described in section 4(a) in the first year; and
subject to the availability of appropriated funds and a determination by the Secretary that the grantee has demonstrated the viability of the proposed project, an implementation grant described in section 4(b) in the second year.
The Secretary shall establish criteria for determining viability under paragraph (2), which may include the adequacy of the concept plan described in section 4(a)(3)(A).
From the amount remaining for a fiscal year after making the reservation under subsection (a), the Secretary shall use—
70 percent of such amount to award implementation grants under section 4(b).
Planning grants and implementation grants awarded under section 4 shall each be for a period of not more than 2 years, for a total of 4 years.
The Secretary may authorize the reallocation of funds awarded under a planning grant to support implementation activities in a subsequent fiscal year, provided such reallocation does not exceed the total award cap established under this section and is consistent with the purposes of the grant.
If, after awarding initial planning grants, the Secretary determines that remaining unobligated funds are available due to awardees requesting less than the maximum grant amount or due to denial of applications for failure to demonstrate concept plan viability under section 4(a)(3)(A), the Secretary may use such remaining funds to make additional grant awards to other eligible entities from the same application cycle, if—
such applicants meet or exceed the minimum criteria for awards established in the notice inviting applications;
the total amount awarded in a fiscal year does not exceed the amount appropriated for that year; and
such additional awards do not exceed the maximum grant amount specified under subsection (c).
In making additional awards, the Secretary shall prioritize applicants that scored highly, but were not initially funded due to funding limitations.
The Secretary shall award planning grants to eligible entities to enable the eligible entities to develop concept plans described in paragraph (3) to turn some or all of the outdoor spaces of the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entities into revitalized schoolyards.
An eligible entity that desires to receive a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may require, including the following:
An initial scope of work briefly summarizing the project.
A plan for educator professional development to support educators in using the revitalized schoolyard.
Identification of State learning standards that may be addressed through student involvement in the revitalized schoolyard.
A plan for how the eligible entity will provide for maintenance and operation of the revitalized schoolyard after the grant period ends.
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to develop a concept plan, including design and construction documents, to turn some or all of the outdoor spaces of the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entity into revitalized schoolyards. Such concept plan shall comply with the following:
Be developed with school and public input, including students, families, educators, school staff, and the public.
Be developed with the goal of longevity and resilience of the revitalized schoolyard after the grant period under this subsection and subsection (b) has expired.
Maximize investment in schools with low tree canopy and vulnerability to extreme heat or flooding.
Maximize investment in schools with a high percentage of students eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch under the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).
Include—
ecological, climate, and biodiversity goals;
learning and education goals;
a description of how the entity will provide accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.);
the number of students to be served at each school served under the grant, the total size of each such school property in acres, and the size of the proposed revitalized schoolyard at each site in acres;
a concept plan drawing of the design proposed for each school served under the grant;
an estimate of the probable cost based on the scope of work identified in the concept plan;
an identification of community partners, including nonprofit organizations or design professionals, that have expertise in outdoor learning spaces or outdoor education, if applicable;
a long-term management plan describing how the eligible entity proposes to maintain the revitalized schoolyard over time and how the concept plan relates to other district plans; and
how components of the site design may address—
growing food, planting pollinator plants, creating habitat for wildlife, and creating amenities to support students in observing nature and participating in school gardens;
conserving water and managing stormwater;
supporting hands-on learning activities and programs across subject areas and grade levels, such as conducting experiments regarding soil, wind, water, and other elements;
using the arts, such as preparing skits, plays, murals, drawings, and sculptures that celebrate nature, including its animals, plants, patterns, and behaviors, to strengthen learning objectives;
planting, to the extent practicable, native and nonnative species, which—
directly protect students from the effects of extreme heat due to climate change; and
cast shade on adjacent classroom windows in the school building to help reduce temperatures indoors and save cooling costs during the warmest parts of the school year; and
the use of natural playgrounds, which include natural and nature-based elements, such as rock gardens, sand boxes, log stumps, streams, living plants, or innovative playground elements, that encourage gross motor play and integrated with the outdoor landscape and vegetation, and which—
will absorb less heat from the sun and air than traditional playgrounds and equipment;
are inclusive and accessible for children of all abilities;
allow children to learn about nature; and
use non-petroleum-based materials.
The Secretary shall award implementation grants to eligible entities that received a planning grant under subsection (a) and developed a concept plan in accordance with subsection (a).
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant funds to implement some or all of the concept plan developed in accordance with subsection (a) by turning some or all of the outdoor spaces of the public elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entity into revitalized schoolyards.
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection may use not more than 25 percent of the grant funds—
for professional development for school leadership, educators, and paraprofessionals related to outdoor teaching and bringing students outside for learning; and
to support an educator or other school staff member or school partner to establish, maintain, and steward the revitalized schoolyard of the elementary schools and secondary schools served by the eligible entity and provide professional development described in clause (i).
An eligible entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall provide matching funds from non-Federal sources in an amount equal to 20 percent of the grant award.
The Secretary may waive the matching requirement under subparagraph (A) for an eligible entity that—
receives a grant under this subsection and serves a school described in section 3(a).
In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretary shall give competitive priority to an eligible entity—
The Secretary shall maintain a clearinghouse of information that—
provides examples of outdoor learning spaces, including successful models being used;
includes input from nonprofit organizations, professionals, and other community members with expertise in outdoor learning spaces and environmental education;
provides links and information about State and local entities with expertise in outdoor learning spaces and environmental education;
reflects best practices on designs for outdoor spaces relating to nature play, non-petroleum based materials, maintenance, stewardship resources, example partnership programs, green infrastructure in schools examples, outdoor learning resources, lesson plans, and planning tools; and
is housed within the National Center on School Infrastructure, or other clearinghouse, as appropriate.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.