SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2668
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
SENATE, April 1, 2024.
The committee on Education, to whom was referred the petitions (accompanied by bill,
Senate, No. 260) of Julian Cyr, Joanne M. Comerford and Michael J. Barrett for legislation to
implement elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate justice education across the
Commonwealth, report the accompanying bill (Senate, No. 2668).
For the committee,
Jason M. Lewis 1 of 4
FILED ON: 2/7/2024
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2668
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
_______________
An Act implementing elementary and secondary interdisciplinary climate literacy education
across the Commonwealth.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Chapter 29 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition,
2is hereby amended by adding the following section.
3 Section 2BBBBBB (a). To achieve, promote and support the instruction of climate
4science education for K-12 public school students in districts across the commonwealth, there
5shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as
6the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust Fund. There shall be credited to the fund: (1)
7revenue from appropriations and other money authorized by the general court and specifically
8designated to be credited to the fund; (2) funds from public and private sources such as gifts,
9grants, and donations to further climate science education; and (3) interest earned on money in
10the fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall not be subject to further appropriation and any
11money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund.
12 (b) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education, in consultation with the
13Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council established in section 1U(b) of chapter 69 of the 2 of 4
14General Laws, shall make expenditures from the fund to support Interdisciplinary Climate
15Literacy education. In making such expenditures, the commissioner shall prioritize:
16 (1) underserved communities across the commonwealth including those public schools or
17school districts with high concentrations of economically-disadvantaged students; those public
18schools or school districts which serve high proportion of students from environmental justice
19populations, as defined in section 62 of chapter 30; or which are located in environmental justice
20populations; and
21 (2) communities that have or will in the future experience disproportionate effects of the
22change in climate.
23 SECTION 2. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022
24Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “skills”, in line 38, the following
25words:- interdisciplinary climate literacy
26 SECTION 3. Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020
27Official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 1T the following new section:-
28 Section 1U. Elementary and Secondary Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
29 (a) Each district may implement an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Plan that will
30provide students with an understanding of the causes of, impacts from, and solutions to
31anthropogenic climate change. Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy shall include, but not be
32limited to, an understanding of climate change’s nexus to the fields of science, technology,
33engineering, arts, history, social sciences, civics, and government, with a focus on climate justice
34and equitable climate solutions. 3 of 4
35 (b) A school district, charter school, approved private day or residential school or
36collaborative school may incorporate the climate change standards established pursuant to
37section 1D and subsection (a) into existing curriculum including, but not limited to, science,
38history and social sciences, technology or business.
39 (c) The commissioner shall create and engage an Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
40Advisory Council. The commissioner, in consultation with the Council, shall provide guidelines
41on the development and implementation of district-level Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy
42Plans. The council shall include: youth leaders from a range of communities across the
43Commonwealth, including representatives of environmental justice neighborhoods;
44representatives of environmental justice organizations; teachers representing multiple disciplines;
45educator union representatives with expertise in climate change and climate justice; and experts
46in climate science and solutions. The Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Council shall seek to
47ensure that each plan:
48 (1) was created with the involvement and input of youth leaders from the district;
49 (2) was developed in consultation with environmental, civics, and climate justice
50organizations or professionals; and
51 (3) provides equivalent instruction and opportunities for bilingual students and English
52language learners.
53 (d) The department may provide additional support and outreach including, but not
54limited to, statewide and regional training, meetings or conferences, additional staff to support
55students and teachers, and opportunities for districts and stakeholders to assess and share 4 of 4
56evidence-based best practices in support of climate change education, and to provide feedback
57and recommendations to the department.
58 (e) The department shall utilize funding from the Interdisciplinary Climate Literacy Trust
59Fund and may apply for federal, state or other funding.