Board approves five-year Sustainability Action Plan to expand climate and healthy-schools work

The committee voted to approve the Milwaukee School District's five-year Sustainability Action Plan, "A Roadmap to Healthy and Sustainable Schools," authorizing administration to develop a detailed implementation plan and quarterly reporting process.

Chelsea Malacarra, Sustainability Project Specialist, presented the plan and described an extensive, multi-month, community-driven development process including stakeholder workshops, focus groups, and a leadership summit. The plan uses the Green Schools National Network Greenprint framework and lays out nine priorities across leadership, facilities and curriculum, with goals ranging from greenhouse-gas reductions to expanding green spaces and climate justice curriculum.

Malacarra noted the plan has superintendent endorsement and the mayor's endorsement and cited existing district activities—outdoor learning spaces, indoor hydroponic gardens, teacher training and green-job pathways—as foundations for the roadmap. The plan asks chiefs to identify key facilitators and performance indicators and commits the district sustainability committee to monthly work with Green Schools National Network to create implementation schedules and resource needs.

Director Benoit moved to approve the plan as presented; roll call returned five ayes and the motion passed. Administration will develop a phased implementation plan identifying KPIs, resource needs and potential cost savings to be reported quarterly to the superintendent and twice yearly to the board unless otherwise requested.