(a) The Governor shall include the following amounts in the State budget to the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education for increasing the number of green schools in the State:
(1) For fiscal year 2021, $278,750;
(2) For fiscal year 2022, $268,300;
(3) For fiscal year 2023, $272,100;
(4) For fiscal year 2024, $276,400;
(5) For fiscal year 2025, $280,850; and
(6) For fiscal year 2026, $216,600.
(b) The appropriations made under subsection (a) of this section may only be used as follows:
(1) To support professional development, assist with transportation of students to and from environmentally focused activities, or support school projects that incorporate environmental best practices for waste and recycling, energy conservation, water conservation, schoolyard habitat, outdoor classrooms, transportation, or health, the following allocations:
(i) For fiscal year 2021, $115,000;
(ii) For fiscal year 2022, $115,300;
(iii) For fiscal year 2023, $115,600;
(iv) For fiscal year 2024, $116,000;
(v) For fiscal year 2025, $116,250; and
(vi) For fiscal year 2026, $116,600;
(2) To increase the number of environmental educators in the State who will provide green schools training and assist schools with becoming a green school, the following allocations:
(i) For fiscal year 2021, $125,750;
(ii) For fiscal year 2022, $130,000;
(iii) For fiscal year 2023, $133,500;
(iv) For fiscal year 2024, $137,400;
(v) For fiscal year 2025, $141,600; and
(vi) For fiscal year 2026, $85,000;
(3) To support statewide green school events, the following allocations:
(i) For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, $8,000; and
(ii) For fiscal year 2026, $6,000;
(4) To conduct, in accordance with subsection (c) of this section, an annual evaluation of the impact of the funds appropriated under this section on increasing the number of green schools in the State, the following allocations:
(i) For each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025, $10,000; and
(ii) For fiscal year 2026, $4,000; and
(5) To create an online application form for a school to apply to get funding under this section, the following allocations:
(i) For fiscal year 2021, $20,000; and
(ii) For each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, $5,000.
(c) The annual evaluation funded under subsection (b)(4) of this section shall:
(1) Be conducted annually in calendar years 2022 through 2027;
(2) Be conducted by an independent contractor that has experience evaluating environmental programs;
(3) Examine whether the funding has:
(i) Increased support for the development of green schools;
(ii) Provided professional development to more teachers; and
(iii) Increased the environmental literacy of students; and
(4) On completion, be provided to:
(i) The President of the Senate;
(ii) The Speaker of the House;
(iii) The State Superintendent;
(iv) The Secretary of the Environment;
(v) The Secretary of Natural Resources;
(vi) The Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee;
(vii) The House Committee on Ways and Means; and
(viii) The House Environment and Transportation Committee.