Parks, public lands, closed streets, and other outdoor spaces offer valuable opportunities to extend learning beyond the school site, into the neighborhood. Using alternative spaces offsite is a particularly useful approach for schools with limited footprints, dense multi-storied classroom buildings, few existing outdoor facilities, or sites at which space is shared by multiple school partners with competing demands. Spaces to be considered might include city or county parks, greenbelts, lawns around public institutions (museums, libraries, public offices, universities), sports fields, public areas near businesses, or even neighborhood streets that are closed to traffic. 

Once a relationship between a property owner and school district is proposed, the organizations will likely need to establish a written agreement to formalize their relationship and clarify the responsibilities they are taking on separately and together. To do this, school districts and the agencies they wish to partner with can use an existing agreement, a rental permit, or a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). 

Please click here to see a sample MOU template that is intended as a starting point for partnerships between land managers and their local school districts. It includes the following common terms or conditions:

• Usage of Agency Property

• Maintenance and Cleaning 

• Supervision of Students 

• Outdoor Learning Parameters

• Identification and Hold Harmless

• Insurance 

• Dispute Resolution 

• Notices 

• Term and Termination 

Other terms or conditions by the property owner and/or school district should be added if required.

• Maps can be helpful to identify and specify which areas of the property are alright to use and which areas will be out of bounds. (Label the maps with “Yes-Use” and “No-Go” areas.)

• It is important to list who is responsible for each set of tasks, what the limitations are, and who bears the costs and liability. 

• Be sure to discuss parking for teachers, buses, students, and helpers (i.e., aides, parents, visitors).

• Be sure to discuss where teachers will be able to securely store their supplies. 

• Include emergency services.

  • Bring the local police department and sheriff offices in early to talk with all entities to discuss security.

  • Include fire and medical personnel in the conversation so they can assist with planning emergency scenarios.

• Sample template of a Memorandum of Understanding

• Property Manager Guidance for suggestions on how public, private, and non-profit property owners can support schools with outdoor classrooms and address logistics related to funding, accessibility, usage, and more. (Coming soon!)

• Assessing Suitability of Potential Outdoor Learning Spaces Offsite provides strategies for evaluating potential offsite locations

• ChangeLab’s website includes a wealth of resources related to joint-use agreements.

  • ChangeLab’s Shared Use Playbook: Opening up recreation facilities to promote community & health

  • ChangeLab’s Playing Smart: A national joint use toolkit

• The Center for Cities and Schools also offers resources on their website related to joint use of school and park lands, and many other topics related to school facilities.

  • Joint Use of Public Schools: A Framework for a New Social Contract