How green are California’s school campuses?

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An October heat wave broke temperature records across Southern California, underscoring the importance of shade on school grounds. Yet nearly 2.6 million students — 45% of California’s 5.73 million K-12 public school students — attend schools where trees cover 5% or less of the areas where students play and rest. The median school campus has just 6.4% tree cover, far below the 30% urban forestry and climate experts recommend for neighborhoods, according to the California Schoolyard Tree Canopy Study.

45% - The share of California K-12 public school students who attend schools where trees cover 5% or less of play and rest areas.

6.4% - The median tree cover in the areas where California public school students play and rest, according to the California Schoolyard Tree Canopy Study.

Less than half (45%) of the tree canopy on California’s K-12 public school properties is in areas students can access during the school day. The remaining 55% is outside student zones, in ornamental areas such as school entrances, parking lots and along property boundaries.

249 - The number of Los Angeles Unified schools where trees cover 5% or less of student play and rest areas.

On Oct. 5, more than 850 LAUSD schools and more than 190 in San Diego Unified were in areas rated at high or severe heat risk. San Diego Unified also ranks second in the state, behind LAUSD, with 138 schools where trees shade 5% or less of student play and rest areas.

Data sources: California School Campus Database — GreenInfo Network; California Student Zone — Green Schoolyards America and GreenInfo Network School and education demographics — California Department of Education; Tree canopy — EarthDefine; CalHeatScore — CalEPA / Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment; EdSource Analysis