Do you believe that children should be spending more time outside, learning and playing?

Do you believe that children should be better prepared to address increasingly complex environmental issues?

Do you believe that the nation's public schools have a critical role ensuring that both of these goals are met?

The No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 will make that happen, improving children's health and contributing to a healthier, more sustainable society. You can support this bi-partisan effort by contacting your federal legislators immediately and asking them to co-sponsor the No Child Left Inside Act (H.R.3036 sponsored by Rep. John Sarbanes and S.1981 sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed). Doing so will send a signal to Congress to include the Act's language in the No Child Left Behind law, which is currently being rewritten.

So far, 16 representatives have agreed to co-sponsor the No Child Left Inside Act. No senators have officially signed on as co-sponsors. The co-sponsors in the House are:

Help us guarantee that no student is left inside when it comes to learning about his or her environment.

1. Fax or e-mail a letter urging your federal legislators to co-sponsor the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 (H.R.3036; S.1981). Go to www.eeNCLB.org to send a letter.
2. After sending your e-mail or fax, call your legislators' offices and ask to speak to the education staff person. Tell him or her how important it is that your representative or senator co-sponsor the No Child Left Inside Act and support its inclusion in the No Child Left Behind bill.
3. Send this action alert to your friends, family, and colleagues and ask them to contact their representative and senators.

The No Child Left Inside Act of 2007 amends the No Child Left Behind law in the following ways:

• Provides federal funding to states to train teachers in environmental education and to operate model environmental education programs, which include outdoor learning.
• Provides funding to states that create environmental literacy plans to ensure that high school graduates are environmentally literate.
• Provides funding through an environmental education grant program to build state and national capacity.

For more information about the No Child Left Inside Act and the No Child Left Inside Coalition, go to www.eeNCLB.org.

Note: "No Child Left Inside" is used with permission from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.