Green Ribbon Schools

The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools recognition program honors exemplary schools and districts that reduce environmental impact and costs, improve health and wellness, and deliver effective environmental and sustainability education that incorporates STEM, civics, and green career pathways. Each year, Massachusetts selects one or more schools or districts to honor at the state level; those honorees are then elevated to the U.S. Department of Education where they will have the opportunity to be honored as a national Green Ribbon School/District.

The 2025 Green Ribbon Schools program application will close on December 17, 2024. Applicants are encouraged to use the rubric as a guide to aligning their evidence and examples to each Pillar.

Optional office hours will be held on the following dates:

• October 30, 2024, 10 am to 11 am — Register
• December 6, 2024, 10 am to 11 am — Register

Application Instructions

Before you submit your completed online application, please ensure you have filled out and uploaded all documents and pictures. A copy of the application is available to assist with preparation of materials needed for final submission. Please note all applications must be submitted through the online application.

The application includes the following parts:

• School/District contact and information.
• Narrative section. The application requires a narrative that provides a "snapshot" of the school's efforts to address the three Pillars (upload as a Word document in the application). Follow the instructions on the Application Template .
• Summary to be used by the U.S. Department of Education in their honorees document. The paragraph summary should include the district/school's efforts on the three pillars of the award. The summary should be included as part of the narrative document.
• Pictures of students in action (upload in the application) and photo description.
  • Please submit 5–10 high-resolution photographs with a brief description including who, what, when, and where for each photograph.
  • Photos should be candid action shots, not posed nor collaged.
  • The photo descriptions should be included as part of the narrative document.

A panel comprised of DESE staff, Massachusetts School Building Authority staff, and statewide environmental education organizations will score the applications and award schools and districts in the following categories:

• Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools: These honorees are elevated to the national level
• Massachusetts Green Ribbon State Finalists: For exemplary submissions
• Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools Sustained Excellence Awards: For former United States Green Ribbon Schools/Districts who continue to improve
• Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools: Honorable Mention

Applicants may find helpful the rubric we use to score submissions, samples of winning submissions, and other useful information below.

Resources

• Massachusetts Green Ribbon Schools scoring rubric
• 2025 Green Ribbon Application Template
• U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Program
• Green Strides — resources to help you "green your school." Sign up for the Green Strides newsletter and/or view archived newsletters.
• Project Green Schools
• The Three Pillars of the Award

2024 Winners from Massachusetts

Join us in celebrating this year's U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) awardees nominated by DESE!

• Falmouth Public Schools: See their winning submission .
• Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School: See their winning submission .
• HEC Academy in Northampton: See their winning submission .

These schools and districts have demonstrated their achievements in three essential areas of school sustainability, known as the three Pillars of ED-GRS: 1) reduced environmental impact and costs; 2) improved health and wellness; and 3) effective environmental and sustainability education. Highlights of all the Green Ribbon honorees are included in this report as well as a video message from Secretary Cardona from the U.S. Department of Education.

Past Winners from Massachusetts

2023

• Boston Public Schools: See their winning submission .

2022

• None — paused due to COVID

2021

• None — paused due to COVID

2020

• None — paused due to COVID

2019

• Boston Green Academy Horace Mann Charter School: See their winning submission .
• Ipswich Middle/High School: See their winning submission .
• Wellesley Public School District (District Award): See their winning submission .

2018

• Arlington Public School District (District Award): See their winning submission .
• Mendon-Upton Regional School District (District Award): See their winning submission .

2017

• None

2016

• Littleton Public Schools (District Award)

2015

• Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School
• Hingham Public School District, Hingham High School
• Cambridge Public Schools (District Award)

2014

• Boston Public Schools, Boston Latin School

2013

• Manchester-Essex Regional School District, Manchester-Essex Regional Middle High School
• Quincy School District, Quincy High School
• Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (District Award)
• The Berkshire School in Sheffield, MA (private)

For more information, please contact: Nicole Scola .

Last Updated: October 9, 2024