Climate literacy seal establishment

A bill for an act

relating to education; establishing a climate literacy seal; requiring a report;

proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120B.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

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[120B.092] CLIMATE LITERACY SEAL.

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Subdivision 1.

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Definitions.

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(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have

the meanings given.

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(b) "Climate literacy" means an understanding of the essential principles of the earth's

climate system, assessing scientifically credible climate information, learning to communicate

about the climate in a meaningful manner, and making informed and responsible decisions

regarding actions that may affect the climate.

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(c) "Climate literacy experiential learning provider" means a provider that facilitates a

student's final project. A provider may include a school district, charter school, or cooperative

unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2; school organization or club; or local media outlet,

business, nonprofit organization, or industry focused on green skills or technical green skills.

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(d) "Climate literacy final experiential learning project" or "final project" means a student

project that focuses on the effects of climate change in the student's local community and

that the student successfully completes as part of the requirements necessary to receive a

seal of climate literacy.

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(e) "Green jobs" means occupations or employment positions that reduce harmful effects

on the climate; adapt processes to minimize their effect on the climate; recognize and mitigate

the disproportionate social effects of climate change; support the social economic, social,

and environmental sustainability of communities; or contribute to the well-being and

resilience of present and future generations.

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(f) "Green skills" means the knowledge, abilities, values, and attitudes to live in, develop,

and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

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(g) "Participating school" means a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit

under section 123A.24, subdivision 2, that grants a seal of climate literacy to a student who

demonstrates mastery in climate literacy in accordance with this section.

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(h) "Technical green skills" means skills that fulfill the requirements of green jobs and

support the transition to a low-carbon sustainable economy.

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Subd. 2.

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Climate literacy seal established.

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A voluntary climate literacy seal is

established to recognize graduating high school students in any school district, charter

school, or cooperative unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2, who demonstrate mastery

in climate literacy disciplines and attain green skills or technical green skills by successfully

completing the requirements under this section. The purpose of the climate literacy seal is

to give a student personal agency to understand or adapt to the effects of climate change.

Participation for a school district, charter school, or cooperative unit to offer a climate

literacy seal is voluntary. A participating school must notate the appropriate seal on the

transcript of each high school student who meets the requirements of this section and may

affix the seal to the student's diploma. A participating school must not charge the high school

student a fee for this seal.

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Subd. 3.

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Student requirements.

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(a) To obtain a climate literacy seal, a student must:

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(1) meet the minimum high school graduation requirements under this chapter and all

other locally adopted graduation requirements;

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(2) successfully complete at least two approved courses in the area of climate literacy;

and

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(3) obtain approval for a climate literacy final experiential learning project proposal in

accordance with the participating school's procedures and successfully complete the final

project.

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(b) A student who wishes to obtain a climate literacy seal must notify the participating

school in accordance with school procedures for awarding a climate literacy seal and seek

approval for the student's final experiential learning project proposal.

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(c) The final experiential learning project proposal may include but is not limited to:

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(1) a capstone project centered on the student's community and the community's effect

on climate change;

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(2) a field experience or practicum related to the approved coursework;

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(3) an internship, externship, or employment with a climate literacy experiential learning

provider;

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(4) one or more community projects with a climate literacy experiential learning provider;

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(5) hands-on laboratory experiments;

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(6) original artwork or writing; or

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(7) student-designed and student-led programming that has an effect on the student's

community and other students.

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(d) To successfully complete the final project, a student must demonstrate an academic

understanding of climate literacy through the practical application of climate literacy

principles that address local climate issues in the student's community. The student must

present the final project to an individual or group identified and selected by the climate

literacy experiential learning provider or participating school.

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Subd. 4.

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Workforce.

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A participating school may collaborate with local businesses,

nonprofit organizations, and industry leaders identified by the participating school within

the surrounding community who are interested in climate literacy and building a workforce

with technical green skills.

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Subd. 5.

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School requirements.

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(a) A school district, charter school, or cooperative unit

under section 123A.24, subdivision 2, must determine prior to the beginning of each school

year whether it will offer the climate literacy seal.

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(b) A participating school must annually provide students enrolled in grades six through

12 and their legal guardians with information about the literacy seal, including the

requirements for obtaining a climate literacy seal and a list of approved courses in the area

of climate literacy. Approved courses may include but are not limited to:

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(1) high school courses or qualified advanced placement courses that cover physical

science, life science, or earth science; and

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(2) courses provided under section 124D.09, career and technical education courses, or

school courses that integrate the climate literacy principles.

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(c) A participating school must either evaluate for approval a student's final project

proposal or authorize a climate literacy experiential learning provider to facilitate, support,

and evaluate for approval a student's final project proposal before the student begins the

final project.

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(d) By July 1, 2027, and by July 1 each year thereafter, each participating school must

collect data on climate literacy seal participation, including:

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(1) each school site where an enrolled student was awarded a climate literacy seal;

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(2) the number of students who received a climate literacy seal;

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(3) the types of final experiential learning projects students completed;

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(4) the names of the climate literacy experiential learning providers that approved,

supported, and facilitated students' projects;

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(5) a list of academic courses students completed to earn the climate literacy seal; and

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(6) other relevant information related to the climate literacy seal requested by the

commissioner.

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(e) A participating school must submit an annual report to the commissioner of education

in the form and manner determined by the commissioner, including the data collected under

this subdivision. The report is due by October 1, 2027, and by October 1 of each year

thereafter.

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Subd. 6.

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Department of Education; report.

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By January 15, 2028, and by January 15

each year thereafter, the commissioner must submit a report to the legislative committees

with jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education evaluating and summarizing

the data submitted by participating schools under subdivision 5. The commissioner may

collaborate with a nonprofit organization that works with schools, industry leaders, and

institutions of higher education that support students' climate literacy to evaluate the data

and prepare the report.

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective the day following final enactment.

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