National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative was founded in May 2020 by Green Schoolyards America, The Lawrence Hall of Science, San Mateo County Office of Education, and Ten Strands. Over a period of 18 months, our collective impact pandemic response effort grew to include more than 20 other partner organizations, foundations, and hundreds of participating volunteers who collaborated to build a national movement. Together, we helped thousands of schools take learning outdoors to reduce virus transmission and equitably improve learning, mental and physical health, and happiness for children and adults. Many schools that moved their programs outside plan to continue their outdoor learning and schoolyard greening efforts in the years to come. The expansive set of online resources in the National Outdoor Learning Library, created by this Initiative, will continue to provide support for schools and districts into the future.
Founding Partners
Outdoor Learning in the News
The media coverage below shares the scope and scale of our collective impact. We are honored that this initiative was covered in 166 unique news articles in 1,100+ publications over a period of 18 months. We greatly appreciate the media’s attention to this important issue!
Selected ARTICLES
“Why We Need More Outdoor Education Programs”
Outside Magazine, March 14, 2023
“Q&A: Ten Strands SXSW EDU Panel Explores the Future of Outdoor Learning Education”
Ten Strands, April 21, 2022
“How K-12 Schools Are Bringing Classroom Technology to Outdoor Learning”
EdTech: Focus on K-12, April 14, 2022
“Mental Health Design and the COVID Classroom”
Architect, March 1, 2022
“As the Pandemic Persists, More Schools Embrace Outdoor Classes”
NPR Morning Edition, December 21, 2021
“California’s Safe Return to School”
Ten Strands, October 20, 2021
“Make Outdoor Learning your Plan A” Harvard Graduate School of Education, August 18, 2021
“The Pandemic Moved Classrooms Outside. Let’s Keep it that Way.”
Outside, August 18, 2021
“Can Public Schools Pandemic-proof Their Classrooms Before Students’ In-person Return?”
Tinig ng Plaridel, July 21, 2021 (Philippines)
“U.S. Green Building Council and Green Schools National Network Announce 2021 Best of Green Schools Awards”
The Center for Green Schools, June 29, 2021
“8 to 3: Outdoor Classrooms are Rare Despite COVID-19. That Could Soon Change.”
Los Angeles Times, June 28, 2021
“Workplace Design: Creating Useful, Outdoor Spaces” Facility Executive, June 23, 2021
“Opinion: After Bracing for the Worst During Pandemic Schooling, We Found Hope and Value in Outdoor Learning”
Hechinger Report, June 21, 2021
“Outdoor Learning Could Help Safely Return Students to Campuses”
California School Boards Association,
June 4, 2021
“Learning Blooms in Outdoor Classrooms”
Edutopia, May 20, 2021
“Summer 2021 Opportunities and the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative”
California Collaboration for Educational Excellence, May 14, 2021
“Outdoor Schools are Thriving”
Outside Magazine, May 11, 2021
“Let’s Keep Teaching Outdoors: Disease Prevention is Just One of Many Reasons to Educate Kids Outdoors”. The Progressive Magazine, April 29, 2021
“Overcoming ‘Green Fears’: Strategies for Safe and Joyful Learning in Outdoor Classrooms” Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly,
April 29, 2021
“The Case for Outdoor Schooling: When the pandemic hit, I enrolled my daughter in an outdoor learning-focused school. Now I never want to go back.” Vox, February 11, 2021
“4 Big Ideas on Fixing American Schools: Experts Agree that the System Needs to Think Bigger than Test Scores and Statistics.”
Popular Science, February 6, 2021
“LAPS Elementary Schools Open Doors For Small Group In-Person Instruction”
Los Alamos Reporter, January 22, 2021
“Schools Turned to Outdoor Learning for Safe, Equitable Instruction in 2020. They Don‘t Have to Go Back” EdSurge, January 4, 2021
“As Winter Looms, Outdoor Schools Face Tough Decisions”
New York Times, November 20, 2020
“Three Schools Re-Imagining What a School Building Can Be”
One Day Magazine, November 17, 2020
“Convention Centers, Museums Become Classrooms Amid Pandemic”
Associated Press, November 8, 2020
“School in Season” Landscape Architecture Magazine, November 2020
“Classrooms Without Walls, and Hopefully Covid” New York Times, October 27, 2020
“COVID, Climate, and Equitable Spaces: Why Outdoor Learning is More Essential than Ever” Grist, Fix, October 15, 2020
“Designing Outdoor Classrooms for a Cause”
Landscape Management, October 15, 2020
“What If Schools Viewed Outdoor Learning as ‘Plan A’?” EdSurge, October 5, 2020
Selected TV COVERAGE
“Schools without walls: Lessons in outdoor education”
CBS SUNDAY MORNING, March 14, 2021
“A California Collective Makes the Case for Outdoor Learning”
PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND, August 3, 2020
“El Cerrito School Serves as a Model for Outdoor Learning Amid COVID-19”
ABC7 News, September 17, 2020 (see 7:15)
“Schools Seeking Alternative to Remote Learning Try an Experiment: Outdoor Classrooms" NBC News, August 5, 2020
“Schools Consider Outdoor Learning as a Solution to Reopen During COVID-19”
NBC 26, July 31, 2020
“One More Thing: Outdoor Learning in COVID-19” New Mexico In Focus - New Mexico PBS, July 24, 2020
“Songbirds Replace School Bells as Classrooms Move Outdoors for a Fortunate Few” The Boston Globe, October 1, 2020
“Preschools are Moving Outside During the Pandemic and May Stay There, Even in Winter” Chicago Tribune, September 25, 2020
“Tents fit for a wedding reception and artfully constructed wooden bandstands: Welcome to outdoor classrooms during a pandemic—and now for the bad news”
MarketWatch, September 9, 2020
“Back to School: In-Person, Outside”
Christian Science Monitor,
September 8, 2020
“Outdoor School During COVID-19” Britannica for Parents, September 2020
“As COVID-19 Lingers, Some Schools Take to the Great Outdoors”
The Detroit News, September 7, 2020
“Could the Coronavirus Pandemic Change Education for the Better?”
San Francisco Chronicle, August 30, 2020
“Will the Outdoors Become the New Classroom of the COVID Era?”
Governing, August 28, 2020
“How Outdoor Classrooms Might—and Might Not—Be the Pandemic Solution Schools Need” Yahoo!Life, August 26, 2020
“Social Dilemma: Is Outdoor Learning Practical?” ABC News 10, August 19, 2020
“Outdoor Classes are Safer. How Can Teachers Make It Happen?”
CNN, August 18, 2020
“Schools Mull Outdoor Classes Amid Virus, Ventilation Worries”
AP News, August 13, 2020
“Calls for Schools to Get ‘Creative’ with Reopening Have Largely Been Ignored. Why?” Fortune, August 9, 2020
“Outdoor Elementary School in This Virus Time” Pasadena Star, August 8, 2020
“Outdoor Desks Replace Indoor Classes as Way of Dealing with COVID-19 in Schools” ABC-7 Eyewitness News, August 7, 2020
“Push for Outdoor Schooling” Fox2-KTVU, August 6, 2020
"Parents Are Clamoring to Send Their Kids to Outdoor Schools That Could Be Safer Than Indoor Classrooms"
Business Insider, August 5, 2020
“Is Outdoor School a Viable Option This Fall? Three Experts Weigh In” Slate, August 4, 2020
“Why Can’t We Have Class Outside? It might be the answer to America’s school-reopening problem.” The Atlantic, July 28, 2020
“Inside the Quest to Reopen Schools–by Moving Classes Outside”
Fast Company, July 25, 2020
Radio and Podcasts
“Outdoor Learning Started as a COVID Safety Measure. Schools Say It’s Here to Stay.” KCRW, April 29, 2021
“Meet Sharon Danks, Green Schoolyards America” PopHealth Week, March 26, 2021
“A Win-Win-Win – Outdoor Education and the National Covid-19 Outdoor Learning” Initiative
KSQD’s Talk of the Bay, September 16, 2020
“Why Some Black and Latinx Families Lose Access to Nature During Pandemic”.
KCRW, June 10, 2020
"Radio Interview by Sara Hossaini"
KQED Radio News, May 24 2020
© Tamar Barlev
“Leading with equity to support our most vulnerable students”
Multibriefs, July 20, 2020
“Will COVID-19 Spell the End of Outdoor and Environmental Education?”
Smithsonian Magazine, July 13, 2020
“Why Outdoor Education May be the Key to Reopening Schools Safely”
Bioneers, July 10, 2020
“California Districts Attempt to Revive Outdoor Education Programs Slashed During the Pandemic” EdSource, July 6, 2020
“COVID-19 Could Close Three Fourths of California’s Outdoor Science Education Programs” CapRadio, June 16, 2020
"Outdoor Classrooms in the Age of COVID-19: Pros and Cons"
Education Week, June 1, 2020
For additional videos and webinars, please see the National Outdoor Learning Initiative’s YouTube Playlist.