LAUSD Sustainability Initiatives Site
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The PowerSave Schools Team at Madison Elementary

Education & Awareness Initiatives   |   Education & Awareness Policies

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LAUSD Education & Awareness Initiatives

Education & Awareness is a crucial component of sustainability.  Sustainability Initiatives Unit strives to complement the District's core educational mission by identifying opportunities for education, training, and community engagement as we implement each of our initiatives.  From increasing eco-literacy through our DROPS Education & Outreach program to contributing to workforce development through our Prop 39 energy audit training program, awareness is at the core of our sustainability mission.

Current LAUSD Goals

  • Raise awareness about:
    • energy conservation and climate change
    • water stewardship
    • sustainability in the built environment
    • environmental stewardship and urban habitat
  • Develop partnerships to:
    • provide experiential and place-based learning opportunities 
    • promote Professional Development opportunities linking sustainability and STEM/Standards-Based curriculum
    • link sustainability projects with opportunities for student training and workforce development
  • Encourage and celebrate:
    • sustainability leadership
    • school-based sustainability efforts
    • environmental volunteerism and community engagement

USGBC is offering Sustainability Fundamentals workshops to schools in the greater LA community, impacting over 800 students with 34 different sessions in the first half of 2021 alone. By fostering the value and the necessity of sustainability to the youth, we are not only teaching sustainable solutions, but are also building more mindful citizens for our future. As part of  Green Schools Initiative USGBC-LA is working with schools throughout the LA region to offer a holistic approach to promoting on-campus sustainability and off-campus cultural change that will directly impact energy, water, and waste use.
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April 17, 2021 Poly Green Schools Campaign Climate Town Hall 
LAUSD Director of Architectural and Engineering Services, Christos Chrysiliou, participated as a panelist in this student-led town hall to share the proactive role that LA Unified is taking in transitioning off fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. Students, parents, city leaders and Long Beach school officials are attended this town hall at which Board Member Schmerelson was also a key presenter and panelist on the benefits of a 100% Clean Energy Transition.

April 22, 2021 (Earth Day) Human Rights Watch (HRW) Student Task Force Virtual Town Hall (“Human Rights and the Climate Crisis: Green Schools Campaign”) Facilities Services Division was invited to participate at this town hall, where HRW Student Task Force members highlighted the efforts conducted at their schools to transition to renewable energy, commit to energy efficiency plans and engage in climate education.  LAUSD Director of Architectural and Engineering Services, Christos Chrysiliou, provided remarks on Districtwide efforts to transition to clean, renewable energy and answered questions related to the importance of energy efficiency at our schools, how schools can measure their energy efficiency and what measures schools can implement to achieve energy efficiency goals. ​


Numbers & Resources

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LA Unified Schools participate in dozens of sustainability related programs and contests 
LAUSD celebrates our collaboration with the City of Los Angeles and LADWP to bring drought awareness to our students!
This video was taken in May 2018 at a joint LAUSD-LADWP event at Reed Middle School.  Visit LAUSD Daily for more information on this event.
  • Awareness related Board Resolutions
  • City, County & State initiatives​

Education & Awareness Initiatives

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CELF Summer Institute 2017 from Holly Moskow on Vimeo.

King MS Styrofoam Art Installation

HEROES for ZERO Contest

Sustainability Initiatives Unit announces the HEROES for ZERO Contest!  The contest challenges K-12 students to help make their campuses Zero Net Energy-ready. 
​Click for more information!

Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF)

Three middle schools are participating in a 3-year pilot program with CELF, a non-profit organization dedicated to making sustainability an integral part of every child's K-12 learning experience.  Teachers and Principals attended CELF's Summer Institute and teachers have received training, project and curriculum planning support, and in turn share their knowledge and experience with other teachers. Each school has an assigned Sustainability Coordinator who shares knowledge and skills with colleagues, coordinates the program with school administrators, and shares their school's accomplishments with the education community.  The program is expanding to three additional schools in 2018.

LAUSD emPowered (Alliance to Save Energy)

The District is collaborating with the Alliance to Save Energy to pilot an online team-based interactive version of their PowerSave Schools energy education program called LAUSD emPowered. A total of 40 schools will participate in the pilot, which began in the 2018/19 school year.

Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT)

One of the goals of the Proposition 39 Clean Energy Jobs Act program is to train Californians for energy-related occupations and career programs. To that end, the District developed the SEAT training program to provide students a hands-on real world experience in conducting energy audits.  Participating students also learn the importance of sustainability, and gain employment skills such as resume writing and interviewing techniques.  More information is available at our SEAT page.

Drought Response Outreach Program for Schools (DROPS)

LAUSD is partnering with Council for Watershed Health, TreePeople, and Los Angeles Audubon to provide the required education/awareness component of the DROPS storm water management grant. Find out more about DROPS and our other storm water management efforts here.

Primary Partners

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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Blog
    • Recognition
    • Sustainability Stars Archive
  • What We're Doing
    • Program Impact
    • Energy Conservation >
      • Proposition 39
      • Solar Initiative
      • Energy Policy
    • Water Stewardship >
      • Stormwater Management
      • Water Policy
    • High Performance Schools >
      • High Performance Design Policy
    • Campus Ecology >
      • Campus Ecology Policy
      • SEEDS Program
      • Garden Resources
      • Greening Index
      • Greening Partners
    • Emerging Technologies >
      • Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Pilot
    • Education & Awareness >
      • Awareness Policy
    • Other District Initiatives >
      • Waste Reduction Policy
  • What You Can Do
    • Why Should We Care? >
      • Sustainable Actions
      • Resource Calculators
    • Greening Your Campus >
      • Getting Started
    • Greening Your Office
    • Campus Waste Reduction
    • Green Ribbon Schools
    • Heroes for Zero Contest
    • Liaisons
    • Save the Drop >
      • Save the Drop Contest
    • Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT)
    • Sustainability Calendar
  • Resources
    • Grants & Funding Opportunities
    • Challenges & Competitions
    • Curriculum, Guides & References
    • Field Trips & Outdoor Education
    • Partners
  • Contact Us