Bright Ideas
Winter '24 Outdoor and Nature-Based Policy and Network Updates
In the years following Washington’s groundbreaking outdoor preschool licensing pilot in 2015, advocates around the country have continued to take meaningful steps to improve children’s access to the benefits of nature-based learning in early childhood. Over the past few years, the momentum of these outdoor nature-based preschool policy efforts has continued to exceed expectations, thanks in large part to the dedication of Regional Networks and nature-based practitioners. The following updates reflect just a small sampling of some of the exciting progress being made today:
New Legislation
Colorado
Advocates in Colorado continue to make progress toward ONB licensing, thanks to an ongoing collaborative effort between the Colorado Collective for Nature-Based Early Childhood and the Colorado Department of Early Childhood Education with support from 3015 Policy Center and others. Their outdoor and nature-based preschool bill, SB 24-078, is currently moving through the senate. You can view public testimony from the most recent hearing here, beginning around 2:47.
Kentucky
KAAEE recently facilitated the introduction of a bill to include outdoor nature-based childcare within the state’s licensing and QRIS systems, HB 423, after working with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators to plan a successful Outdoor Education Day at the Capitol.
Licensing Pilot + Rule Creation
Maryland
Maryland’s Outdoor Preschool Advisory Group (OPAG) continues to make progress toward rolling out pilot licensing applications in the wake of the state’s successful passage of the outdoor preschool bill HB525–in 2023. OPAG is meeting regularly with the Maryland Department of Early Childhood to determine what will be included in the pilot application process.
Oregon
Following the passage of HB 2717 last year, Oregon’s Department of Early Learning and Care has similarly been taking important steps toward rule creation, hiring an ONB licensing specialist in the fall, and, more recently, opening its Community Workgroup application for outdoor Nature-Based Licensing with the intention of convening a group in mid-April 2024. The application can be viewed here.
Hawaii
After months of effort, Imua Family Services gained approval in late fall 2023 to open an outdoor, nature-based program in Lahaina on the island of Maui to meet the needs of the community in the wake of last summer’s devastating wildfires. The new program, Imua Inclusion School at Discovery Garden, is being considered as a demonstration project that can help inform their state's approach to licensing. The school has been able to leverage the county’s emergency proclamation to utilize temporary buildings for the present. You can read more about the school here.
Strengthening the Landscape
Maine
Maine Early Childhood Outdoors (MeECO) continues to build relationships and advance support and capacity relating to outdoor and nature-based programming around the state. In December, MeECO held a licensing webinar highlighting the spectrum of approaches and surveyed program providers about licensing and will follow that up this spring with a training for child care licensors.
Minnesota
In November, Hamline University and the Unviersity of Minnesota opened a first-of-its-kind field school in partnership with the Freshwater Society. The school utilizes funding from the Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources and is designed to help address opportunity gaps in nature-based learning. More recently, Minnesota Early Childhood Outdoors (MnECO) began organizing a small group licensing committee to assess licensing-specific needs, and are in the early stages of partnering with the state’s Quality Rating and Improvement System to explore integration of the nature-based assessment tool they developed.
Post-Licensing Policy and Advocacy
Washington
In January, WA DCYF successfully licensed its first yurt at the Walla Walla YMCA childcare program, which will offer both full- and half-day outdoor nature-based options to families. On March 15, new Administrative Code guidelines will go into effect allowing for indefinite recreational use of unheated tents and yurts under 500 square feet accommodating an R-1 Occupancy.
Natural Start is continuing to track advocacy work around outdoor preschools in the US, whether it’s introducing legislation, working with a state agency, or simply organizing advocates. This updated map (click to download) provides a snapshot of work around the country in all of its various stages. If you are currently engaging in or thinking about outdoor preschool advocacy and would like to learn more, contact Kit Harrington at [email protected]. You can also join Natural Start’s Policy Huddle group to stay in the loop with ongoing progress, and network with other policy advocates.
