First there was the book (Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv). Then came the movement to get more kids outdoors. Now there's the bill—the No Child Left Inside Act (H.R. 2054/S.866)—recently introduced to Congress.

From the No Child Left Inside Coalition's press release:

Citing the critical need to improve environmental education across the country, The No Child Left Inside Coalition today applauded Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) for introducing the Senate and House versions of the historic No Child Left Inside Act (NCLI) on Earth Day 2009. The bi-partisan legislation, if passed, would mark the first environmental education legislation to pass Congress in more than 25 years.

“Passing the No Child Left Inside Act is a key step in improving the quality of our children’s education and preparing them for the complex challenges of the future workforce,” Senator Reed said.

Research shows that when environmental education is integrated into the curriculum, student achievement increases in core academic areas including science, math, and reading. Additional research finds that schools that teach the core subjects using the environment as an integrating context also demonstrate reduced discipline and classroom management problems; increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning; and greater student pride and ownership in accomplishments.

The bill authorizes new funding for states to provide high-quality, environmental instruction. Funds would support outdoor learning activities both at school and in non-formal environmental education centers, teacher professional development, and the creation of state environmental literacy plans.

• For more info visit the No Child Left Inside Coalition's website.
• If you want to support the bill, send a message to your members of Congress. You can do so directly from the NCLI Coaltion or National Wildlife Federation's websites.