Community Spotlight
Connecting State Lands and Schools with the Nevada Outdoor Education Advisory Workgroup: State-Level Policy Advisory Workgroups or Study Groups
June 20, 2024
Case Study
A common, and sometimes, effective policy approach to an issue is a state-sponsored advisory workgroup, in some places known as a study group. These workgroups are provided specific direction from a legislature on what must be accomplished and often outline what types of individuals, organizations, and agencies are officially involved. The workgroup then reports its findings and recommendations, often based on available data, information supplied by workgroup members and public agencies, and qualitative data collected from impacted or relevant communities.
During Nevada’s 2023 Legislative Session, Assembly Bill 164 was passed, which created the Outdoor Education Advisory Workgroup (Sec. 1.7), among other directives. This Advisory Workgroup is tasked with studying approaches to incorporate outdoor recreation into the curriculum of Nevada’s public education system. Workgroup members include legislators and representatives of relevant public agencies, a student, teachers, and representatives from outdoor education-focused providers serving communities furthest from opportunity, among others. The Workgroup began meeting at the end of 2023 and, before the 2025 legislative session, will produce a report with a set of public policy recommendations as well as a bill draft request for the 2025 legislative session.
These recommendations will be a key strategy to amplify outdoor learning and engagement and serve as a resource for legislators and advocates to identify potential legislative approaches. While passing a Workgroup bill can be an important step forward, what happens after the Workgroup report is complete matters to enacting change. The report will end up on a shelf unless organizations and individuals work with legislators and public agencies to move the recommendations forward.