33 States, D.C., Participating So Far in National Green Ribbon Schools Pilot Program

Charter schools are eligible for the U.S. Department of Education’s pilot Green Ribbon Schools program and 33 states and Washington, D.C., have indicated they will participate, according to the department.

The participating jurisdictions with laws allowing charter schools are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Six other states that are participating do not have charter school laws: Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, Washington and West Virginia.

The department, which congratulated participants in a posting on its Facebook page focused on the program, plans to recognize schools that “save energy, reduce costs, feature environmentally sustainable learning spaces, protect health, foster wellness, and offer environmental education to boost academic achievement and community engagement.”

Schools apply for recognition through state departments of education. The tentative schedule calls for state departments to issue their processes for seeking candidates by the end of 2011, with the submission of nominees for the award to the U.S. Department of Education by March 2012. Winners are to be announced during Earth Day Week in April 2012.