Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026
Schoolyards: Revitalization Grants for Outdoor Learning
This bill was recently introduced and is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Education and Workforce. It is in the early stages of the lawmaking process and is considered active. There are no upcoming votes scheduled at this time.
Part of: story →Companion bill: Schoolyards: Grants for Nature-Based Play and Learning →Legislative Progress
The bill is currently supported only by Democrats and faces a long path through committee. Without bipartisan backing, it is unlikely to pass in a divided Congress.
Key Points
- This bill creates a new grant program to help schools turn traditional playgrounds into park-like spaces with trees, gardens, and outdoor classrooms. These areas would be designed for hands-on learning and nature play while also serving as public parks for the community after school hours.
- Schools can apply for up to $1 million in total funding to plan and build these projects. The money can be used for things like planting native trees to provide shade, building natural playgrounds made from non-plastic materials, and creating spaces for students to grow food or study wildlife.
- The program prioritizes schools in low-income areas, places with very few trees, and neighborhoods that face extreme heat or flooding. It also sets aside 5 percent of the funding specifically for schools run by Indian Tribes or the Bureau of Indian Education.
- Beyond construction, the grants can pay for training teachers on how to lead lessons outdoors. It also requires schools to have a long-term plan for maintaining the new gardens and play areas once the federal funding ends.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Revitalizing America’s Schoolyards Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(9)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.