Advocacy is one of Ten Strands’ three strategic pillars, where we work at the state level to meet the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for environmental justice by catalyzing change through an innovative whole systems approach.
Our current advocacy efforts include the initiatives below that advance our mission to increase environmental literacy throughout the system of TK–12 public education in California.
Seeds to Solutions
WHAT: California invested in K–12 solutions-oriented instructional resources on climate change and environmental justice that empower students and prepare them to be engaged community members. These free groundbreaking instructional materials, Seeds to Solutions, will be available for the 2025-2026 school year for each grade level.
Visit our 2024 Advocacy Page to learn more about our previous work with Senator Ben Allen and the San Mateo County Office of Education on this important initiative.
IMPLEMENTATION NEEDS: County Offices of Education (COEs) are the best bridge between state policy and district implementation. COEs are essential in helping districts, schools, and teachers create opportunities for students to develop environmental and climate literacy. Still, there are currently few sources of support to help COEs build the capacity to do this work.
BUDGET REQUEST: To support the widespread use of Seeds to Solutions, Ten Strands and SMCOE are requesting $10 million over three years to build upon the state’s initial investment in climate change education. We have a vision of developing statewide professional learning centered around these new instructional materials and, at the same time, building support for their widespread implementation.
GOALS FOR THE BUDGET REQUEST:
- Expand capacity across all 58 county offices of education to support districts and schools in delivering climate literacy.
- Develop a tiered network of counties, providing targeted support based on readiness levels.
- Ensure professional learning opportunities for educators to effectively teach climate-related topics.
STATUS: We are actively continuing conversations with key legislators, state agencies, and our partner, the San Mateo County Office of Education.
Visit our program page to learn more about Seeds to Solutions. Read more about the budget request on our fact sheet.
Climate-Resilient Schools Budget Request
WHAT: The Climate Ready Schools Coalition, led by Ten Strands and UndauntedK12, is requesting support to help school districts prepare for and respond to climate impacts. This funding will provide regional support and capacity building to advance climate-resilient, healthy, and efficient schools while maximizing existing state, local, and federal funding.
IMPLEMENTATION NEEDS: This investment will help schools proactively prepare for extreme weather, maximize funding opportunities, and implement long-term infrastructure improvements to ensure safe, healthy, and climate-resilient learning environments. Without this support, schools risk missed funding, increased closures, and costly emergency responses.
BUDGET REQUEST: We are requesting $10 million in state funding for a three-year grant program administered by the California Department of Education (CDE) to fund eleven regional Climate Resilient Schools Coordinators, support climate adaptation planning and implementation, maximize federal and state funding opportunities, and ensure safe, healthy learning environments for California students.
GOALS FOR THE BUDGET REQUEST:
- Establish regional Climate Resilient Schools Coordinators in each of the eleven COE regions to help districts access state school facilities funding and coordinate emergency response efforts with counties and local jurisdictions.
- Provide direct support for school districts facing extreme heat, poor air quality, flooding, and other climate emergencies, including maximizing federal clean energy tax credits.
- Develop region-specific planning tools to improve long-term school infrastructure resilience.
STATUS: This budget request was submitted to Governor Newsom and the legislature in December 2024. Advocacy efforts are ongoing to prioritize climate resilience in TK–12 schools in the 2025 budget.
Office of Public School Construction Proposition 2 Implementation
WHAT: Proposition 2, passed by California voters in 2024, provides $8.5 billion for K–12 school facility upgrades through a matching grant program. Prioritizing under-resourced districts, English learners, and foster youth, the bond supports critical projects such as removing lead from drinking water, expanding transitional kindergarten, modernizing school buildings, and upgrading career technical education facilities. It also encourages schools to invest in infrastructure that supports climate adaptation, energy efficiency, and student health and safety.
IMPLEMENTATION NEEDS: California’s school facilities are increasingly vulnerable to extreme heat, wildfires, power outages, and poor indoor air quality. Proposition 2 offers a critical opportunity to transform outdated infrastructure into safe, healthy, and climate-resilient spaces for students and communities. A working group from the Climate Ready Schools Coalition, led by Ten Strands and UndauntedK12, helped shape the climate provisions of the bond and engaged in the Office of Public School Construction’s (OPSC) stakeholder process to ensure implementation supports sustainable, resilient, and energy-efficient school investments across the state.
STATUS:
The Coalition’s work has helped advocate for climate readiness to be a core part of Proposition 2 implementation. Key outcomes of this advocacy effort include:
- Clear guidance and tools for districts to integrate resilience and energy efficiency into facilities planning.
- Stronger emphasis on health and safety, including protections from extreme heat, poor air quality, and outdated infrastructure.
- Support for transparency and community engagement through the facilities master plan and bond planning processes.
- Encouragement for centralized data collection, enabling better tracking of school facilities conditions and investments.
Explore the Proposition 2 Implementation Guidance Document and Joint Coalition Letter to OPSC to learn more about the recommendations that will shape California’s school infrastructure for years to come.
Additional Legislation and Campaigns We’re Supporting
- SB 341 School Garden-Based Education: Takes a critical first step in restarting and expanding California’s unused, unfunded Instructional School Garden Program to include instruction and maintenance, so school districts can integrate garden-based learning into the curriculum. Sponsoring Organization – School Garden Coalition
- AB 675 California Farm to School Grant Program: The Farm to School grant program has been historically funded via the annual state budget. A concurrent effort in the legislature, AB 675 (Aguiar-Curry), aims to make California’s nation-leading farm to school grant program permanent. This bill is the first step in securing ongoing funding for this program. Sponsoring Organization – Center for Ecoliteracy
- AB 832 – CalSHAPE: Extends the deadline for the CalSHAPE program to 2030. Requires the State Department of Education, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health and the State Air Resources Board, to develop indoor air quality standards, guidelines, and recommendations for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools. Sponsoring Organization – California Federation of Teachers
- Oppose AB 942 – Net Energy Metering: Proposes changes to reimbursement rates for schools and others with solar installed under NEM 1.0 and NEM 2.0 agreements; voiding contracts after 10 years and shifting to NEM 3.0, which would change the economics of the solar program at schools and would add millions in energy costs for schools with existing solar. Sponsoring Organization – Environment California
- Oppose Federal Cuts to School Meals: Supporting efforts to secure $150M in funding annually to continue operating the School Meals for All program and protect cuts to federal programs, including the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs to preserve access to free, fresh, and local school meals. Sponsoring Organization – Center for Ecoliteracy
- Extend CAL FIRE’s Green Schoolyards Implementation Grants for two years
- Building Decarbonization Cap + Trade Priorities