By Michele Drucker, environmental chair for the Miami-Dade County Council PTA/PTSA
The Florida Green School Designation Program was once a low-cost, high-impact initiative that helped schools reduce waste, cut energy costs and engage students in sustainability. But now the program is being permanently discontinued, according to Christian Reeves of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of State Lands.
“Florida has fulfilled its obligations under a 2017 EPA grant to run the program,” Reeves said. “Current EPA grant monies are being returned. Florida will discontinue both the Florida Green Hotels and Green Schools designation programs.”
This quiet dismantling follows the departure of the program’s sole staff member. Last summer, the website disappeared only to reappear after a PTA inquiry about the program, but designation applications from schools were left unanswered. The designation was also a key step for schools hoping to earn national recognition through the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon program.
That’s a loss — because the program worked. In Miami-Dade County, one seventh grader’s bus air quality study led to a campaign that helped the district secure over 100 electric school buses. The student discovered that bus emissions were 10 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended air quality standards. Research shows that eliminating diesel bus exhaust can improve reading scores by as much as 7%.
The school district went on to pass a 100% clean energy resolution, hire an efficiency officer and launch a food share cart and composting program. Rooftop solar advocacy followed, saving schools money on double-digit energy cost increases while connecting students to clean energy career paths.
These aren’t just environmental wins — they’re public health, academic and financial wins too. And they all started with student and parent leadership.
In response, the Florida PTA is launching the Florida Green Schools PTA/PTSA, a new statewide platform to keep this work alive. We’ll provide tools for families to advocate for greener, healthier, more resilient schools — because when the state walks away, Florida’s families step up.
Gov. Ron DeSantis says he wants to prepare students for the real world. But if his administration refuses to support the programs that protect children’s health, strengthen community engagement and build environmental literacy, then that promise rings hollow.
If the state won’t lead, Florida’s families will.
Michele Drucker is environmental chair for the Miami-Dade County Council PTA/PTSA and former environmental chair for the Florida PTA. Banner photo: Electric school buses (Pierre5018, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
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Thank you to the Florida PTA and you, Michelle, for stepping up to host the important Green Schools Program.
Students, their parents and school teachers and staff
ready and willing to take action on climate challenges.
This program will give them vital guidance.
Michelle, You’ve done amazing work and continue to show others how to not let the winds of politics stop you.