Washington State’s Commitment to Outdoor Learning: House Bill 2078

In the Spring of 2022, Washington State passed HB 2078, establishing an Outdoor Learning for All program. This initiative was inspired by Oregon’s Outdoor School Law, passed in 2016, making Oregon the first state to fund overnight outdoor learning experiences for all students.

Washington State’s support to outdoor learning shares similar objectives with the Oregon model but will have a slightly different approach. HB 2078 funding is split into three areas of funding. Firstly, it will provide support for organizations such as conservation districts, tribes, city and state organizations, and non-profits to work directly with schools to facilitate outdoor learning programs. The second area of funding provides the opportunity for all 5^th or 6^th graders to access overnight outdoor learning programs, with partial or full funding based on need. The third area of funding allows for schools and districts to access outdoor learning grants through the Office of Superintended of Public Instruction (OSPI).

The advisory committee for HB 2078 funding has been working hard the last couple of years to make certain the funding is directed where it is needed most. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that all students in the state can access these opportunities equally. In Eastern Washington, there are very few facilities that offer overnight outdoor learning programs. For example, Camp Reed in northern Spokane County is expanding its programming to accommodate schools during the school year, while Camp Wooten in the Blue Mountains provides a rentable space where schools are responsible for food and programming. Most opportunities for overnight outdoor learning experiences are west of the Cascades, and as word of funding gets out, these spots are booking up quickly.  

Research shows that while all outdoor programing is valuable for students, overnight experiences can be particularly transformative. Three to five days of overnight experiences is ideal, with five nights showing the most significant growth in students. These life changing experiences help students learn about the natural world, themselves, and their classmates.

Our legislation expects the following outcomes from the Outdoor Learning for All programming: higher graduation rates, improved school behaviors, higher academic achievement, improved critical thinking skills, experience with science concepts and phenomena in the field, leadership and collaboration skills, and a deeper engagement with learning, place, and community.

Conservation districts are an integral part of outdoor learning here in Washington State. We are creating partnerships, programing, and accessing funding for students in our various regions. In some areas of the state, the local conservation district provides the majority of outdoor learning opportunities.

Notably, significant contributions to outdoor learning experiences come from unexpected resources in our region. For instance, Spokane County opened the Doris Morrison Learning Center in 2023 and it facilitated an entire day of activities for all 5^th grade students in East and Central Valley School Districts. Riverside State Park also facilitates activities for hundreds of students every year at their site at no cost to schools, and we the Spokane Conservation District provide outdoor learning programs to over 2,000 K-14 students annually. a year.

HB 2078 emphasizes the importance of outdoor learning in the academic and emotional growth of students. This area of education relies heavily on community partnerships to make these programs successful and sustainable. The role of conservation districts in youth education in Washington State is more important than ever.