Nevada committee hears bill to create outdoor education council, promote teacher training and grants

The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources opened a hearing on Assembly Bill 165 on Feb. 28, a bill that would create a state outdoor education council to coordinate training, technical assistance and recognition for school- and community-based outdoor learning programs.

Supporters said the proposal grew out of the Outdoor Education Advisory Working Group created by an earlier bill and built on public input, surveys and existing grant work across the state.

Proponents told the committee the council would compile and publicize existing educator training, provide technical assistance for teachers and districts, and establish an outdoor school designation and an outdoor educator of the year award to recognize local efforts. The bill also contains grant-related language and a conceptual amendment to add two legislative appointments to the council.

Erica Mosca, a bill presenter, said the measure grows from the work of the advisory group convened after AB 164 and emphasized a “carrot” approach to encourage schools rather than a mandate. David Beard of the Children and Nature Network provided national context, saying research shows “kids are currently spending 90% of their time indoors and 50 hours a week on screens.” Sean Thornton, the student representative to the advisory board, summarized the board’s process and public outreach, noting that the advisory group’s survey drew “over 700 responses, 216 of which were from students” and that “99% of respondents said that spending time outdoors is very important for youth, and 92% of respondents said that they support integrating outdoor education into public education.”

Presenters described earlier state funding for outdoor education grants: a Nevada Outdoor Education and Recreation Grants program previously provided $250,000 in state funds, which supported 23 projects reaching about 11,000 children and youth; applicants had requested roughly $1.4 million in total. Mosca said the bill’s conceptual amendment would add appointments by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate majority leader and would make a technical change to ensure grants are awarded only to applicants who apply.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about appointment pools, the scope of volunteer or provider membership, and how voluntary standards and rubrics would be communicated to teachers. Sean Thornton said the intent is to incorporate outdoor elements into existing academic standards and rubrics so teachers can meet required standards while teaching outdoors. Committee counsel confirmed that if a bill does not specify an effective date it defaults to Oct. 1, the standard statutory default.

Testimony in support included representatives from Western Resource Advocates, the Nevada Conservation League, the Sierra Club, and the Nevada Association of School Superintendents, who cited benefits including environmental stewardship, mental and physical health, and increased student engagement. There was no in-person opposition recorded in Carson City, Las Vegas or Elko, and no callers on the public line.

The committee closed the hearing on AB 165 and proceeded to the next item on its agenda; no committee vote on AB 165 was recorded during this meeting.