Meiners Oaks elementary - green ribbon (Silver LEVEL)

The U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition award honors schools, school districts, and Institutes of Higher Education for excellence in resource efficiency, health and wellness, and environmental and sustainability education. The recognition award is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education (ED) effort to identify and communicate practices that result in improved student engagement, academic achievement, graduation rates, and workforce preparedness; and reinforces federal efforts to increase energy independence and economic security.

California K-12 public and private schools, early learning centers, and school districts are eligible to seek ED-GRS nomination from the California Department of Education (CDE). 

• Pillar I: Reduce environmental impact and costs
• Pillar II: Improve the health and wellness of schools, students, and staff
• Pillar III: Provide effective environmental education, which teaches many disciplines, and is especially good at effectively incorporating STEM, civic skills, and green career pathways

Four items which are important to keep in mind: 

1. These are ambitious goals and few, if any, schools are expected to have achieved all three, or perhaps even 100% of any of the Pillars.
2. Schools and districts demonstrating exemplary achievement in all three Pillars will receive the highest ranking.
3. It is important to demonstrate concrete achievement, using quantitative measures, wherever possible.

California Green Ribbon Schools are recognized in the following manner: 

• Bronze Level: Achievement of 55.0 - 64.9%
• Silver Level: Achievement of 65.0 - 74.9%
• Gold Level: Achievement of 75% or better
• Green Achievers: The highest achievement