Using Outdoor Learning to Reopen Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Across the United States, government agencies, public health authorities, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations are producing policies and related guidance documents to help schools safely reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are heartened to see so many examples of schools that are incorporating the use of outdoor spaces into their official guidance documents and protocols.

This page includes official, public guidance and policy examples that relate to using outdoor spaces on PK–12 school grounds from communities across the county. We hope to expand the references included below over time. If you know of new documents we should include in this list, please send us an email with a link. Thank you!

National Guidance

FEDERAL Government

Schools & Child Care: Plan, Prepare, and Respond
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), February 12, 2021
Updated, comprehensive guidance for schools and child care settings, available in multiple languages

Operational Considerations for Schools
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), January 29, 2021
Provides suggestions for mitigating risks for COVID-19 transmission in schools, including physical distancing options using outdoor classrooms

Considerations for Outdoor Learning Gardens and Community Gardens
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), September 18, 2020
Recommendations intended for managers of outdoor learning gardens, such as school gardens and community gardens, as part of the CDC K-12 Schools COVID-19 Mitigation Toolkit

NON-GOVERNMENTAL

COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry
American Academy of Pediatrics, January 5, 2021
General guidelines for reopening schools

COVID-19 Resource Center for Camps
American Camp Association
Field guide of policies on safely opening camps

Roadmaps to Reopening: State's Guidance to Schools on Masks and More
Future Ed, July 24, 2020
In depth review of every state's policies related to reopening schools

Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, July 15, 2020
Document that recommends using the outdoors as part of schools’ reopening plan (see pages 39, 47, 63, 67)

eeGuidance for Reopening Schools
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), June 2020
Policy recommendations and considerations for reopening schools

Guide to Advocating for Outdoor Classrooms in Coronavirus-Era School Reopening
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and National Wildlife Association, September 2020
Concrete policy examples of the need for outdoor classrooms and how to implement them

State and Local Guidance

CALIFORNIA

Stronger Together: A Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California's Public Schools
California Department of Education, June 8, 2020
Information and resources to help with school reopening (see pages 8, 40)

COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School Based Programs
California Department of Public Health, August 3, 2020
Review of state COVID-19 health policies for schools (see pages 12, 13, 14)

Use of Temporary Structures for Outdoor Business Operations
California Department of Public Health, November 25, 2020
Official health guidance to specifically describe how to classify tents and temporary structures as "indoor" or "outdoor" spaces

Revised BU 20-01: DSA Assistance During the COVID-19 Pandemic for Emergency School Facilities
California Division of the State Architect, August 4, 2020
Revised policy guide from the Division of the State Architect for building emergency outdoor learning spaces

Guidance from Local and Regional Institutions in California

Pre-K and Elementary School Campus Safety Plan: 2020-2021 School Year
Berkeley Unified School District, October 26, 2020
General reopening plan that mentions outdoor learning as a strategy (see page 13)

Los Angeles County Schools: Rising to the Challenge of COVID-19
Los Angeles County Office of Education, August 3, 2020
Los Angeles County COVID-19 planning framework for the 2020-21 school year (see page 38)

Supporting Students Together: A Roadmap to Safely Reopening OUSD Schools
Oakland Unified School District, February 2021
This reopening plan for a large urban school district includes outdoor learning as one of the strategies they are using to aid their return to on-campus learning.

Return to School Procedures
San Carlos School District, January 13, 2021
General reopening plan that includes recommendations to use outdoor spaces (see pages 23, 24, 26, 27)

Re-opening TK-12 Schools for In-Person, On-Site Instruction
San Francisco Department of Public Health, December 8, 2020
Official health guidance for schools in San Francisco, highly focused on using outdoor spaces to reduce transmission (see most pages, particularly 3, 10, 13)

Planning for Outdoor Learning
San Mateo County Office of Education
Policy guide providing technical tools and resources for outdoor learning

COLORADO

eeGuidance for Reopening Schools
Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), June 2020
Guidance for school districts and environmental education providers on reopening schools

2020-2021 School Scenario Planning
Colorado Department of Education, December 11, 2020
Reopening planning guidance from Colorado Department of Education referencing CAEE's eeGuidance for Reopening Schools

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

SR21-1 State Board of Education Resolution: Supporting School Access to Funding for Outdoor Learning Options
District of Columbia State Board of Education, adopted January 13, 2021
Official resolution from the State Board of Education to use outdoor learning as one of the ways to reopen schools in Washington, DC, and to request that the city’s mayor allocate $4 million of grant funding to help schools set up and offer outdoor learning. Additional information.

2020-12-21 SBOE Letter on Outdoor Learning
District of Columbia State Board of Education, December 21, 2020
Letter from the District of Columbia State Board of Education to the Mayor of Washington, DC, requesting $4 million dollars for DC Public Schools and DC Charter Schools to use toward creating outdoor learning spaces

FLORIDA

Reopening Florida's Schools and the CARES Act
Florida Department of Education
State guide for reopening schools, including outdoor learning (see pages 45, 48, 51)

GEORGIA

CoOL Toolkit for Outdoor Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
Alliance of Environmental Education of Georgia
Guidance for schools extending learning beyond the classroom walls, including creating schoolyard learning stations, selecting lessons and managing students outdoors

ILLINOIS

eeGuidance for Reopening Schools
Environmental Education Association of Illinois and NAAEE, June 2020
Guidance for school districts and environmental education providers on reopening schools

MAINE

Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Healthy Students — A Solution for Elementary Students During COVID-19
Inside - Outside Advisory Group, July 10, 2020
Practical guide to outdoor learning in the Northeast

Outdoor Learning as a COVID-19 Response
Nature-Based Education Consortium
Resources and news on outdoor learning as a COVID-19 response

MOU with Between Urban Middle School and Local Day Program Provider
Ripple Effect, October 2020
Sample MOU with between urban middle school and local day program provider

Contractual Agreement for an Open Air Classroom Day Program
University of Maine 4-H Center
Sample contractual agreement for an "open air classroom" day program

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Outdoor Learning Opportunities for Healthy Students — A Solution for Elementary Students During COVID-19
Inside - Outside Advisory Group, July 10, 2020
Practical guide to outdoor learning in the Northeast

NEW MEXICO

Outdoor Learning in New Mexico During Covid-19
EE New Mexico, 2020
Website dedicated to help facilitate outdoor learning in New Mexico

NEW YORK

Outdoor Learning NYC — A Toolkit for Schools
Grow NYC and National Wildlife Foundation NY, 2020
Practical toolkit for New York City schools on outdoor learning policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Outdoor Learning Initiative
New York City Department of Education
Webpage featuring New York City’s new outdoor learning program, led by the DOE, the Mayor’s Office, and partnering city agencies

Outdoor Learning — Streets
New York City Department of Transportation
Guide to using streets and parks near schools for outdoor learning in New York City

NORTH CAROLINA

The Green Desk
NC State Design Natural Learning Initiative
User friendly website with examples of how to initiate outdoor learning

Guidance from Local and Regional Institutions in North Carolina

Learning Outdoors: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Outside in Durham Public Schools
Durham Public Schools, March 2021
Outdoor learning guidance intended to be useful during COVID-19 and to help schools across the District consider using their grounds for outdoor learning in the years to come, too.

OREGON

Ready Schools, Safe Learners — Guidance for School Year 20-21
Oregon Department of Education, December 31, 2020
Guide for COVID-19 response in schools, including advice on outdoor learning

Supplemental Guidance for Learning Outside
Oregon Department of Education, January 2021
Guidance for using outdoor spaces for learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Texas

Austin Public Health Interim Guidance on Reopening for Austin-Travis County Schools
Austin Public Health, August 14, 2020
Guidance for COVID-19 response in schools, including advice for conducting physical education classes, music classes, and recess outdoors (pages 25-26)

UTAH

Guidance for School Reopening — How EE and Learning Outdoors Can Help!
Utah Society for Environmental Education, 2020
Guide for COVID-19 response in schools, including advice on outdoor learning

VERMONT

WASHINGTON

Novel Coronavirus Guidance and Resources
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
COVID-19 guidance and resources for school districts, students, and families

COVID-19 Health Resources and Recommendations
Washington State Department of Health
Health guidance, including contract tracking and information for business, schools and families

Tools to Prepare for Provision of In-Person Learning among K-12 Students at Public and Private Schools during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington State Department of Health, December 16, 2020
Decision tree policy and guidance document for schools

Guidance from Local and Regional Institutions in Washington

Kings County Schools COVID-19 Response Kit
Public Health – Seattle and King County, December 29, 2020
Guidance for reopening schools; intended to supplement the WA Department of Health K-12 Schools Fall 2020-21 Guidance
and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction resources with local contact tracing and COVID-19 response guidance

Seattle Public Schools Outdoor and Community Education Taskforce
Seattle Public Schools
Information and resources on the Seattle School Board's Outdoor and Community Education task force, including recommendations for educational opportunities in Seattle Public Schools beyond the walls of school buildings

Incorporating Outdoor Learning for School Reopening, Whatcom County
Whatcom Coalition for Environmental Education
Guidance and models for reopening schools utilizing the outdoors for schools and environmental education providers in Whatcom County

Wisconsin

Taking Education Outdoors: A Toolkit for Schools
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Toolkit created to support and inspire schools and districts across Wisconsin to take learning outdoors. Resources are designed for Wisconsin’s local culture and climate, and draw on the work of the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative.

Credits

This list was compiled and curated by: Marie Bacher, Santa Clara County Office of Education; Tim Baird, EdD, Superintendent (retired), Encinitas Union School District; Sandra Chen Lau, MA; Sharon Danks, MLA-MCP, Green Schoolyards America; Sean den Bok, Seattle Aquarium; Olivia Griset, MAT, Maine Environmental Education Association; Tony Knight, EdD, Superintendent, Oak Park Unified School District; Lauren McKenna, MLA, Green Schoolyards America; Vicki Moore, Living Classroom; Kathleen O'Connor, PhD; Robyn Paulekas, Meridian Institute/Youth Outdoor Policy Partnership; and Kirk Anne Taylor, MPA, Ten Strands.

National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative

The National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative supports schools and districts around the country in their efforts to reopen safely and equitably using outdoor spaces as strategic, cost-effective solutions to increase physical distancing capacity onsite and provide access to abundant fresh air. The Initiative seeks to equitably improve learning, mental and physical health, and happiness for children and adults using an affordable, time-tested outdoor approach to keeping schools open during a pandemic.

Policy Guidance for Reopening