Outdoor learning grants

AN ACT Relating to outdoor learning grants to expand and improve 1
the delivery of outdoor learning opportunities; adding a new section 2
to chapter 79A.25 RCW; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that outdoor 5
school for all, enacted in chapter 112, Laws of 2022, has helped tens 6
of thousands of students from all corners of the state attend outdoor 7
school at one of more than 40 recognized providers. These outdoor 8
school experiences support career-connected learning and are helping 9
create education workforce pathways in areas like forestry, timber, 10
marine biology, and river management.11
(2) The legislature further finds that the statewide operating 12
grant program, created in chapter 112, Laws of 2022, helps ensure 13
students have a chance to benefit from outdoor education by providing 14
grants to school districts to support educational experience and 15
grants to providers to increase future capacity, with a focus on 16
communities historically underserved by science education.17
(3) The legislature further finds that expanding the capacity of 18
outdoor school facilities to serve more students can also improve 19
accessibility of outdoor education programs to school districts by 20
H-0737.1
HOUSE BILL 1734
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Rule, Nance, Simmons, Springer, Berry, Shavers,
Zahn, Parshley, Hill, Scott, Bernbaum, and Pollet
Read first time 01/30/25. Referred to Committee on Capital Budget.
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making it easier to plan for transportation and support needs across 1
an entire class or grade level. 2
(4) Therefore, the legislature intends to establish a statewide 3
capital facility grant program to expand and improve facilities used 4
for the delivery of outdoor learning opportunities.5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 79A.25 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 8
specific purpose, the office must establish a competitive process to 9
solicit proposals for and prioritize projects whose primary objective 10
is to expand access to outdoor education experiences for students 11
enrolled in public schools by acquiring, constructing, or 12
rehabilitating facilities used for the delivery of outdoor learning 13
opportunities. 14
(2) Applicants must demonstrate that the project is likely to 15
increase the number of public school students served by outdoor 16
education experiences at the project locations or is providing 17
infrastructure improvements that are likely to remove barriers to the 18
participation of public school students from underserved communities.19
(3) Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, 20
renovations that increase bed capacity, rehabilitations that 21
weatherize or improve energy efficiency at existing facilities so 22
they can serve more public school students by extending the operating 23
season for the facility, and upgrades in bathrooms and kitchen 24
facilities that support better service delivery. 25
(4) Eligible grant recipients include federally recognized 26
tribes, local governments, state agencies, federal agencies, and 27
nonprofit organizations. 28
(5) Beginning with the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium, the office must 29
submit a prioritized list of recommended projects for funding to the 30
governor and the legislature as part of the office's biennial capital 31
budget request. The prioritized list must include a description of 32
each project, the amount of recommended state funding, and 33
documentation of nonstate funds to be used for the project.34
(6) In contracts for grants authorized under this section, the 35
office must include provisions that require: 36
(a) Grant-funded capital improvements be maintained by the 37
grantee for a specified period of time appropriate to the amount of 38
the grant; 39
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(b) Grant-funded facilities be used for the express purpose of 1
the grant; and 2
(c) Repayment of the grant award and interest if the grantee is 3
found to be out of compliance with provisions of the contract. 4
Interest must be calculated at the rate of interest on state general 5
obligation bonds issued most closely to the date of award of the 6
grant. Repayments collected by the office must be deposited into the 7
state general fund. 8
(7) For purposes of this section, "outdoor education experiences" 9
and "outdoor learning opportunities" have the same meaning as in RCW 10
28A.300.795, and "public schools" has the same meaning as in RCW 11
28A.150.010. 12
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