Springfield, IL – On Friday, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation requiring Illinois public schools to educate students on climate change starting in 2026. The law, which was championed by State Senator Adriane Johnson and State Representative Janet Yang Rohr, requires that students learn about the environmental and ecological impacts of climate change on individuals and communities while also studying solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change.
“Illinois continues its record of leading on climate and energy policy by becoming the fifth state in the nation to adopt legislation that incorporates climate change education into school curriculums,” said Jen Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council. “By equipping young people with knowledge about the climate crisis, we are combating misinformation and inspiring future generations to not only be informed about the climate emergency, but to take action to address it.”
The law affords public schools flexibility to include climate change education in existing science classes, and requires the Board of Education to provide professional development materials and instructional resources to educators.
“Students need and are calling for a comprehensive education curriculum that addresses the science behind climate change,” said State Senator Adriane Johnson. “Young people are eager to learn about real, meaningful and equitable solutions to the impacts of the climate crisis, and this law affords them that opportunity.”
“Our young people know all too well that climate change poses a significant threat to our communities, environment, and future,” said State Representative Janet Yang Rohr. “Thanks to Governor Pritzker and my colleagues in the General Assembly, Illinois will soon offer fact-based coursework and teacher preparation programs on the history and future of climate change.”
“Making sure that our children understand the looming climate crisis and what is happening to their communities is paramount to ensuring they will be equipped with the knowledge to address the impacts of climate change,” said State Representative Kimberly du Buclet. “Climate change is real and we must explore all available avenues to reduce its impact on Illinois’ communities.”
Illinois joins California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York in enacting laws that require climate change education.
“We are excited about this first step on the journey to Climate Education for K-12 students in Illinois,” say Helen von den Steinen and Maria Cabiya, co-founders of Climate Education for Illinois (CE4IL). “When we co-founded Climate Education for Illinois last summer, we were warned that a bill would likely not pass in its first session. However, through strong advocacy from our group, especially from the youth, we were able to persuade legislators of the urgent need for climate education to equip all students to understand climate change, what they can do to address it and to prepare them for the jobs of the future. There is more work to do but this is a great first step.”
“Several Chicago-area high schoolers with the young climate action group It’s Our Future created an Advocacy Toolkit in support of the bill, which they shared widely. They also tabled at several local events, presented at statewide education conferences and spoke to faith-based groups to promote the bill and encourage constituents to call their legislators in support,” say Katie Stabb, Danica Sun, Chloe Zhu, and Manolo Avalos of It’s Our Future. “They even met with an elementary school Green Team that had signed a banner to show their legislator their support of the bill. Per one of the high school guests, the young students’ vast environmental knowledge and passion ‘underscored what incredible things can happen when students learn about climate.’”
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