Climate Justice Resolution in MPS

To formalize and expand support for green initiatives in MPS, in March 2020, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors adopted Resolution 1920R-016 designed to bring attention to climate change and develop an action plan for the district. The resolution acknowledges that schools should demonstrate leadership in modeling to students climate-conscious and environmentally friendly practices. As part of this resolution, a Climate Justice Curriculum Advisory Committee and a District Sustainability Team were created.

The Climate Justice Curriculum Advisory Committee is working to incorporate environmental education into all subjects at all grade levels. Many of these lessons will connect to site improvements and other projects already completed or in progress in schools. The committee includes teachers, students, and curriculum specialists.

The District Sustainability Team onsists of representatives from the Department of Facilities and Maintenance Services, Department of School Nutrition, Department of Transportation, Office of Academics, Office of School Administration, Office of Communications and School Improvement, community partners, and others. The work of the team includes a baseline study of the district ecological footprint, an inventory of current projects underway, and goal setting to support initiatives that address climate change.

The work of these teams is ongoing, and several key areas are showing impressive results in implementing measures that improve the quality of education for students, provide real-world examples of daily practices that contribute to a healthier and cleaner planet, and demonstrate cost savings to the district.