Nevada committee hears bill to allow academic credit for approved outdoor activities

CARSON CITY — Sponsors of Assembly Bill 501 on Tuesday told the Assembly Committee on Education the measure would allow school districts and charter schools to award elective academic credit to junior high, middle and high school students who complete approved outdoor recreational activities outside of regular school hours.

Assemblymember Steve Yeager, sponsor and co-presenter, said AB 501 would “authorize academic credit for certain outdoor recreational activities completed outside of school hours” and described the bill as “an important step forward in integrating outdoor education into Nevada's public school system.” The bill was co-presented by Majority Floor Leader Assemblymember Sandra Houdegui.

Supporters said the measure builds on earlier state efforts to expand outdoor education. Yeager and Houdegui linked AB 501 to prior laws and grants — including access to state parks for fifth graders and the Outdoor Education and Recreation Grant Program — and to a separate bill this session that would expand funding for those grants.

Houdegui described the bill's mechanics: the governing board of a school district or a charter school would be authorized to approve activities that qualify for credit, and the activities must be completed outside of school hours, require a significant amount of time outdoors and teach skills such as identifying native plants and animals, trail building, habitat restoration, outdoor survival skills, hiking, archery or bird watching. The bill specifies parental or guardian consent is required and clarifies districts and charter schools are not required to provide, facilitate or fund the activities.

Committee members pressed sponsors on whether the bill was mandatory and on how to ensure consistent standards across the state. Houdegui repeatedly described the bill's language as enabling, not mandatory, and said local boards would adopt criteria if they chose to participate. Assemblymember Flanagan suggested the State Board of Education could develop consistent standards so a given activity (for example, bird watching) would be comparable across Washoe and Clark counties; sponsors said they would consider that feedback.

Supporters from education and conservation organizations spoke in favor during the hearing. Brian Wallace of the Nevada State Education Association called the bill sensible and praised local decision-making. The Washoe Education Association, Nevada Conservation League, Nevada Association of School Superintendents, Nevada Association of School Boards and local nonprofits including the Great Basin Wildlife Conservancy and the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition also testified in support, citing student engagement, mental and physical health benefits and connections to career pathways.

No one testified in opposition. Committee members asked for clarifications about program administration, parental consent, whether classroom or grant-funded in-school activities would be eligible — sponsors said activities funded through existing grant programs that occur during the school day would remain available, but AB 501 specifically creates a pathway for credit earned outside normal school hours.

The hearing closed with sponsors urging committee support; no vote was taken at the hearing.

Why it matters: proponents said AB 501 could expand experiential learning options, support student engagement and tie to existing outdoor education grant programs already operating across Nevada’s counties.