FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2025
MEDIA CONTACT:
Camille Soliva, csoliva@tenstrands.org
Chloe Zilliac, chloe@sunstonestragtegies.org
State education leaders call for urgent action to protect students and schools from climate impacts
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), in partnership with Ten Strands and UndauntedK12, released a landmark brief today on the urgent need to protect students attending California’s K–12 schools from climate impacts like wildfire smoke, extreme heat, and flooding that increasingly disrupt their education. The fires currently ravaging Los Angeles serve as a stark reminder of the growing threat these climate events pose to the safety and well-being of students across the state. The brief, titled Climate Adaptation and Resilience at California’s K–12 Schools: Actions and Recommendations for State and District Leadership, offers considerations for how state and local leaders can ensure schools are prepared to withstand increasingly extreme climate events. It is accompanied by a toolkit for school district leaders with resources for how they can adapt school buildings and grounds to be resilient to the impacts of climate change.
“Climate resilience is no longer an option; it’s an imperative. Schools are the backbone of our communities, and we need to ensure that they can withstand the impacts of climate change while providing a safe and effective learning environment,” said Sujie Shin, deputy executive director at CCEE.
This announcement comes in the wake of destructive wildfires that raged across Los Angeles County, creating disruption, trauma, and millions of lost instructional hours for impacted students as over 270 schools closed. As extreme weather events continue to worsen across California, the brief highlights how climate-related disruptions– such as extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and flooding–are already affecting schools and learning environments. The brief calls on state leaders and education agencies to prioritize climate resilience in schools, noting the direct connections between student health, safety, and educational outcomes.
The paper outlines four key climate related challenges–extreme heat, wildfire smoke, storms and flooding, and grid instability–and provides recommended solutions for districts to address these issues. Among the recommendations for state leaders, the brief calls for:
- Funding for district planning to build climate resilience into school infrastructure and operations
- Support for technical assistance to help districts effectively implement resilience strategies
- Interagency coordination to ensure K-12 schools have access to the resources and expertise needed to adapt to climate impacts
In addition to these statewide recommendations, the toolkit is a practical, hands-on resource that highlights local solutions leading districts have already implemented across California to modernize school buildings and address climate risks. Together, the toolkit and brief showcase what’s possible and call on state leaders to support school districts to do more.
“From extreme heat to devastating wildfires, schools across California are already facing significant challenges,” said Jonathan Klein, co-founder and CEO at UndauntedK12. “State leaders and school districts can proactively protect student health and ensure a safe learning environment in the decades to come, and leading districts have shown us that it’s possible.”
The brief also calls for greater collaboration between school districts, local governments, and state agencies to ensure that climate resilience is integrated into broader community adaptation plans, such as stormwater management and grid stability efforts. By aligning local and state efforts, schools can play a central role in fostering community-wide resilience.
“Adapting schools to the realities of climate change is a crucial step toward ensuring equity and improving learning outcomes for all students,” said Andra Yeghoian, chief innovation officer at Ten Strands. “Our schools must become models of resilience, not only to protect students but to contribute to the overall health and well-being of the broader community.”
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