Join the WOSC Action Network
Join the WOSC Action Network
JOIN THE WOSC ACTION NETWORK
Help Build a Statewide Voice for Outdoor Education
Washington has built one of the strongest outdoor education networks in the country, giving thousands of students opportunities to learn outdoors, step away from screens and everyday pressures, build confidence and independence, and strengthen their relationships with each other and the natural world.
But with state funding eliminated, access is increasingly dependent on what individual schools and families can afford. That puts these experiences especially at risk for students in rural, Tribal, low-income, and historically underserved communities — and threatens the network of outdoor schools, educators, programs, and partnerships Washington has spent years building.
Over the coming months, important decisions will be made about the future of this investment. We need parents, educators, outdoor school providers, community leaders, and supporters across Washington ready to speak up.
Join the WOSC Action Network to stay informed about what's happening in Olympia, learn how funding decisions are affecting students and outdoor schools, and hear from us when there are meaningful opportunities to contact policymakers and make your voice heard.
Together, we can protect what Washington has built and work toward a future where every student — regardless of income or ZIP code — can experience the educational, mental health, and social benefits of learning outdoors.
We'll keep the emails useful and focused; important updates about outdoor education and occasional opportunities to take action.
THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW
Start Here
Tell Olympia Why Outdoor School Matters
Legislators need to understand what the loss of funding means for students and communities in their districts.
Tell your representatives about the students, schools, families, and outdoor education programs in your community — and ask them to support restoring sustainable state funding for outdoor education.
Contact your legislators
1
Help Make Outdoor Education a Community Issue
A letter to your local newspaper is an easy and effective way to raise awareness and show policymakers that people in their communities care about outdoor education. Keep it simple:
Make it personal. Explain your connection to outdoor school.
Explain what's at stake. State funding was eliminated, putting student access and outdoor education programs at risk.
Show the impact. Explain what outdoor education means for students, families, schools, or your community.
Make an ask. Encourage state leaders to restore sustainable funding.
Write a letter to the editor
2
Help Build a Stronger Future for Outdoor Education in Washington
The Washington Outdoor Schools Coalition brings together more than 50 outdoor education providers, educators, school districts, Tribal partners, families, and community leaders around a shared goal:
Every Washington student — regardless of where they live or what their family can afford — should have access to high-quality overnight outdoor education.
WOSC is working to turn that vision into a sustainable statewide system. Our immediate priority is restoring public funding for outdoor education in the 2028–29 Operating Budget. But lasting success requires more than a single budget victory.
We're building bipartisan support in Olympia, organizing parents, educators, providers, and communities across the state, and expanding the coalition to include Tribal leaders, conservation and outdoor recreation partners, workforce organizations, businesses, and other allies who understand the educational, mental health, and community benefits of outdoor learning.
At the same time, we're developing philanthropic, corporate, and private-sector partnerships to complement public funding and help protect the network of outdoor schools, trained educators, facilities, programs, and partnerships Washington has already built.
Your support helps us restore public investment, build one powerful statewide voice, and create a more stable and equitable future for outdoor education in Washington.
Together, we can do more than restore what was lost. We can build a stronger, more resilient outdoor education system that serves Washington students for generations to come.