The California Department of Education has named the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE) a Gold-level honoree in the 2025 California Green Ribbon Schools recognition program. The award honors the Santa Cruz COE’s achievements in environmental sustainability, student and staff wellness, and environmental literacy.
This year, the Santa Cruz COE is among three county offices of education across the state to receive Green Ribbon honors, and one of seven honorees statewide to be awarded the Gold designation. The Santa Cruz COE previously earned Silver recognition in 2022, at that time the highest level received by a California County Office of Education.
“We are grateful to work with Santa Cruz County’s school districts and so many other incredible partners dedicated to supporting sustainability at schools,” said Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools. “This recognition belongs to all of us working together to build a future where environmental sustainability is central to student learning, health, and community well-being.”
The Santa Cruz COE has served for decades as a regional leader in environmental education, supporting schools and districts across the county and beyond. The office has taken a multifaceted approach that includes:
- Teacher Leadership Institute: Through programs like the Teacher Leadership Institute for Sustainability, the Santa Cruz COE equips educators at all grade levels to incorporate local, standards-aligned environmental topics and field experiences into classroom learning. More than 96 teachers have participated, working with more than 5,700 students to complete action projects over the past three years.
- Green Classroom Challenge: The Green Classroom Challenge has reached more than 100 teachers and more than 3,700 students, each of whom is committing to at least 5 new actions at school to support a more sustainable campus.
- Green Workspace Challenge: More than 60% of Santa Cruz COE joined the Green Workspace Challenge in its first year, with each staff member committing to five actions to take to support sustainability at the workplace.
- Youth for Environmental Action: The Santa Cruz COE supports student-driven efforts through groups like Youth for Environmental Action (YEA), part of the broader Youth Led Leadership Alliance.
- Regional and Statewide Leadership: As a longtime lead for the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) and a founding member of the California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI), serving as co-lead for the statewide CAELI COE community of practice as well as a 9-month fellowship for county offices of education.
- Greening Facilities & Operations: The Santa Cruz COE has implemented extensive sustainability improvements and became Green Business Certified by the County of Santa Cruz in 2023. These efforts include:
- A solar array providing over 50% of energy needs at its main office.
- Facility-wide LED lighting retrofits following comprehensive energy audits.
- Transition to 100% green-certified cleaning products.
- Installation of water-wise landscaping and irrigation systems.
- Installation of electric vehicle charging stations for visitors and staff.
- A solar array providing over 50% of energy needs at its main office.
“This latest recognition builds on our commitment to advancing environmental literacy as core to a thriving educational ecosystem,” said Amity Sandage, Environmental Literacy Coordinator at the Santa Cruz COE. “We’re working with partners locally and statewide to connect sustainability into curriculum, operations, policy, and youth leadership development, recognizing that environmental responsibility belongs to all of us.”
For more information about the COE’s environmental programs and partnerships, visit the Environmental Programs page.