The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
In addition to its constitutional charge of supervising all matters pertaining to public schools, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and its office has numerous and broad responsibilities prescribed in statute, including:

• making rules and regulations necessary for the administration of public education requirements;
• preparing courses of study and other materials and books for the discharge of education duties;
• fulfilling financial responsibilities, including distributing legislatively allocated funds to districts for the operation of the public school system, and awarding numerous state and federally funded grants; and
• satisfying numerous reporting and other duties assigned by the Legislature.

The SPI is also required to develop and periodically revise state learning standards that identify the knowledge and skills all public school students need to know and be able to do based on four basic education learning goals established in statute.  Fourteen state learning standards have been adopted, including Mathematics, English Arts, Science, and Integrated Environmental and Sustainability standards.

School Sustainability and Resource Conservation Programs.
School sustainability and resource conservation programs have been established federally and locally.  One example of a local program is the King County Green Schools Program (KCGSP).  The KCGSP was created in 2002 by King County to assist school districts and public and private schools in King County (but outside of Seattle) in starting and improving waste prevention programs, recycling, and other resource conservation practices.

Washington State Green Schools Program.
The Washington State Green Schools Program (Green Schools Program) is established in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create and expand resource conservation practices in public schools, including:

• waste reduction, energy reduction, water conservation, urban forestry education, and environmental preservation; and
• education and leadership opportunities for students seeking to promote conservation practices in their schools. 

The Green Schools Program is voluntary and is intended to:

• complement resource conservation programs for school districts and public schools that are established by counties or other entities by providing increased opportunities for student education and leadership in resource conservation practices;
• provide opportunities for school districts and public schools that are not participating in resource conservation programs to establish and promote resource conservation programs that have student education and leadership opportunities;
• support instruction in climate curricula aligned with the Science and Integrated Environmental and Sustainability state learning standards; and
• provide opportunities for school districts and public schools to collaborate with the Department of Natural Resources for the purposes of schoolyard greening projects, schoolyard forests, and career-connected learning related to natural resource job opportunities.

Grant Program.
Subject to funding provisions, the OSPI is directed to establish and administer a grant program to provide assistance to school districts and public schools for the purpose of creating or expanding resource conservation practices in accordance with the Green Schools Program.

Through the grant program, school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools participating in the Green Schools Program may apply for:

• annual project grants of up to $15,000 per school, per year, in furtherance of the Green Schools Program; and
• grants for stipend funds for school-based advisors that assist students in learning about, promoting, and implementing resource conservation practices in school facilities.  Awarded stipend funds may not exceed $600 per school, per year, but school districts and public schools may provide additional funding for school-based advisors.

Legislative Intent Language - Green Schools Program and Energy Grant Programs.
Provisions specifying legislative intent are included.  The intent section includes legislative findings, references the establishment of the Green Schools Program, and specifies that the Legislature intends for the Department of Commerce, when providing funds to school districts through energy grant programs funded in the capital budget, and to the extent practicable, to prioritize school districts that are participating in the Green Schools Program.