TAKE ACTION FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION
Help Protect Outdoor School for Washington Students
Outdoor school gives young people something increasingly important: time away from screens and everyday pressures to learn outdoors, build confidence and independence, strengthen friendships, connect with trusted adults, and experience the mental health and social-emotional benefits of learning in nature.
Over the past several years, Washington invested in making those opportunities available to more students — not just those whose families or schools could afford them. That investment helped expand access for students in low-income, rural, Tribal, and historically underserved communities while building one of the strongest outdoor education networks in the country.
But funding for Washington's Outdoor Learning Grant Program was eliminated from the 2025–27 state budget.
Without public funding, the cost shifts back to individual schools and families. That means the students who can benefit most from these experiences are often the ones most likely to lose access.
THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW
Start Here
Each one takes a few minutes. Pick the one that fits you.
Contact Your Legislators
Find your state legislators and tell them what outdoor school means for students in your district. Talking points and a sample message are ready for you to use.
Write a Letter to the Editor
A letter in your local paper shows policymakers that their own communities care. A short guide, a sample letter, and where to send it.
Support WOSC
Become a contributing member and fund the advocacy, organizing, and communications work behind restoring sustainable state funding
Washington has built something worth protecting.
Much of the infrastructure created through the state's investment is still here. Schools want these opportunities for their students. Outdoor education providers, trained staff, facilities, and partnerships remain ready to serve them. But without sustainable funding, that network — and the years of public and private investment that built it — is increasingly at risk.
We have an opportunity to protect that investment and make sure outdoor school doesn't become an experience available only to students whose families and schools can afford it.
The Washington Outdoor Schools Coalition is bringing together outdoor education providers, educators, school districts, families, Tribal partners, community leaders, and policymakers to preserve Washington's outdoor education infrastructure, restore equitable access, and ensure more young people can experience the educational, mental health, and social benefits of learning outdoors.
Every Washington student deserves the opportunity to learn, connect, and thrive outdoors.
LATEST NEWS & UPDATES
What's Happening with Outdoor Education in Washington
Stay informed about the decisions, research, stories, and developments shaping the future of outdoor education across Washington.
From new research on student outcomes to decisions in Olympia and stories from outdoor schools across the state, this is where we'll share the latest news about the importance of outdoor learning — and what it will take to ensure every Washington student has access to it.
FEATURED
New Research Shows the Impact of Outdoor School on Washington Students
A major new statewide evaluation is helping put data behind what educators, families, and outdoor school providers have seen firsthand for years: high-quality outdoor education gives students meaningful opportunities to learn, build confidence, strengthen relationships, and connect with the natural world.
The Washington Outdoor Schools Spring 2026 Evaluation Report, developed through the Washington Outdoor Schools Learning Network and led by researchers at Virginia Tech and Clemson University, is one of the most significant efforts to date to measure the impact of outdoor school programs across Washington.
The Spring 2026 evaluation included 5,429 valid student surveys from 109 public schools across 36 school districts, with 15 outdoor school providers participating.
The research is especially important as Washington considers the future of public investment in outdoor education. It helps document both the benefits these experiences provide to students and the strength of the statewide network of schools, educators, and outdoor education providers Washington has already built.
Have a question or an idea? Let's hear it.
WOSC is a coalition, and we want this work to be shaped by the people and communities who care about outdoor education. Have a question, an idea, a partnership we should explore, or something you think WOSC could be doing better — or doing more of? We want to hear from you.