April, 2026

With the school year coming to a close, I am writing with important update and to encourage applications for a California Green Ribbon Schools award for 2026-27.   

As the chair of the California Green Ribbon School program Private School Selection Committee, I have been glad to see the strong showing among California private schools since the program’s inception in 2011.  It is clear that the California program we have built for public and private schools is one of the strongest in the nation.  Although the federal program at the US Department of Education was suspended last year, I am delighted to report that the California Green Ribbon Schools program continued unabated. 

This spring, 38 public and private schools, districts and county offices were acknowledged, including the private school Green Achiever honoree, Lycee Francais of San Francisco. You can see the full list of all awardees here, including three other private school winners: Montessori de Terra Linda, Waldorf School of Orange County, and School of the Madeline.  

The application process for the coming year will open June 1, and applications will be due November 9.  I wanted to be sure all had these dates on the calendar to help with planning, especially as summer can be an important time to prepare an application.  The California Department Green Ribbon Schools website contains helpful information for applicants, as does the excellent CAELI (California Environmental Literacy Initiative) Green Ribbon Schools Resources page.  

If you do have any questions about the application, I would be glad to help. 

Paul Chapman, pchapman5@gmail.com