Outdoor, Nature-Based Preschool Policies Boost Equity in Education

Case Study

Following Washington’s groundbreaking outdoor preschool licensing pilot in 2017, advocates around the country have been taking meaningful steps to improve children’s access to the benefits of outdoor nature-based early childhood education (ONBECE) by promoting state-level policy efforts to license and expand access to outdoor nature-based (ONB) preschools nationwide.

This year, Colorado joined Washington, Oregon, and Maryland in licensing ONB preschools with S.B.24-078. The National Institute for Early Education Research is facilitating peer learning across state agencies engaged in ONB preschool policy. Michigan’s Child Care Licensing Bureau is embarking on an internally driven process of piloting and promulgating ONB rules for child care centers. These regulatory efforts are succeeding through cross-sector collaborations and local leaders advocating for equity in our education system. 

The U.S. currently faces a national childcare shortage. Licensing ONB preschools can help. By licensing ONB preschools, states can expand high-quality childcare options for working families and ensure equitable access. Licensed programs benefit from state-funded student scholarships and professional development opportunities for educators. Typically, these benefits are provided solely to licensed practitioners, leaving ONB preschools ineligible.

“The success of ONB licensing reflects how much is possible when teachers and families are empowered to drive change. In addition to important implications for equity in access, this effort helps build commitment to supporting young children’s connection to nature and the outdoors at a critical time. With ongoing investment, the ONBECE policy movement can catalyze change that will benefit children across the spectrum of early learning and beyond,” said Kit Harrington, Senior Policy Advisor for the North American Association for Environmental Education’s (NAAEE) Natural Start Alliance.

When states offer licensed ONB preschools, they are not only promoting equity in education for our littlest learners; they are promoting skills and values that lead to environmental literacy, school readiness, and social-emotional intelligence.

For more information on ONB preschool best practices and policy success stories, please visit NAAEE’s Natural Start Alliance. You can also join Natural Start’s Policy Huddle group to stay in the loop on policy progress and network with other advocates. Contact Kit Harrington at kit@naaee.org to join.