Framing and Predictors of ESE Policies in the USA’s Largest School Districts

• In Event: (Re)framing Environmental and Sustainability Education in a Divided World: Responses in K–12 School Districts and Higher Education in the USA

Proposal

School districts are often the most visible public institutions in local communities, serving as both educational and civic spaces. They are thus uniquely positioned to introduce environmental and sustainability education (ESE) initiatives that reach millions of young people and their families. Yet these efforts unfold unevenly across political and geographic contexts. By systematically mapping district-level policies and programs, this study explores how education systems navigate environmental crises amid polarization and inequality.
This paper investigates the presence, evolution, and framing of ESE initiatives across the 200 largest U.S. public school districts. It builds on a 2020 study of predictors of holistic policy initiatives in these districts and extends that work by examining both the evolution of these initiatives and the framings attached to them. The study examines the following questions: To what extent are there ESE policy initiatives in these districts? How are these initiatives framed? What factors can explain changes since 2020 and differences in framing?
The methodology draws on National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) enrollment data to identify the 200 largest districts. District websites were systematically searched and coded for initiatives broadly falling under ESE, including sustainability, climate action, and environmental education. Coding categories included scope (operations, curriculum, or both), partnerships (with municipalities, NGOs, or universities), and dominant framings (efficiency, stewardship, climate action, justice). Although the study will be completed in the coming months, preliminary review suggests significant variation.
Framing theory (Snow & Benford, 1988; Benford & Snow, 2000) offers a useful lens for anticipating how different political and geographic contexts may shape the way districts define and communicate ESE. In more conservative or suburban contexts, diagnostic frames might center on inefficiency or outdated infrastructure; prognostic frames may emphasize modernization and technological upgrades; and motivational frames could appeal to fiscal responsibility or community pride. In contrast, districts situated in more progressive or urban areas might frame environmental issues in terms of systemic risk or social inequality, propose solutions that include curricular change and civic engagement, and motivate action through appeals to justice, resilience, or intergenerational responsibility. Partnerships are also expected to act as framing agents: alignment with municipal climate action plans may amplify justice-oriented narratives, while collaborations with NGOs or businesses could encourage depoliticized frames focused on stewardship or technical solutions. These anticipated variations will guide the analysis as the study progresses. By examining diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational frames, this paper considers how education systems act as both arenas and agents of ESE governance.
The contribution to the CIES 2026 theme, “Re-examining Education and Peace in a Divided World,” lies in highlighting how school districts—amid polarization—either reproduce divisions or cultivate pathways to more cohesive responses. Justice-oriented framings may invite solidarity, civic participation, and a broader sense of responsibility. Efficiency-oriented framings, while politically safer, risk reinforcing divisions and leaving students ill-prepared for future challenges. Ultimately, this study suggests that the ways districts frame ESE are central to whether education becomes a force for resilience and democratic engagement, or retreats into narrow, technocratic responses.

Authors

• Aigul Rakisheva, UIUC

• Carine Verschueren, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Paapa Nkrumah-Ababio,

• Samantha Lindgren, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

• Armando Jose Torres, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign