Trees, not asphalt: The $1 billion effort to build ‘cooler’ California school playgrounds

As summer approaches and temperatures soar, one of the most dangerous places for Bay Area students might actually be the playground.

On a hot, sunny day, the asphalt on school playgrounds can reach 149 F, while a rubber mat can reach 165 F, according to UCLA’s Luskin Center for Innovation. That’s hot enough to cause a third-degree burn. But a little shade can go a long way to help kids cool off.

In an effort to provide more green on Bay Area schoolyards — many of which are expanses of barren asphalt without grass, shade or trees — and lower the impact on students’ health, the Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit that works to create parks and protect public land, is campaigning for $1 billion from the state legislature to transform those playgrounds.

Please help put parents in charge of their child’s education by forwarding this article to other parents, family, friends and voters.
2020 Play area for kids by Satishaa Javali is licensed under Unsplash unsplash.com

Other Articles

Students and teachers push to reduce U.S. school emissions
About 50 school districts around the United States are pushing for school retrofits and to prepare students for green jobs
Read More
Teacher uses jazz music in the classroom to explore California history, race and culture
A schoolteacher who is also a jazz musician, Guillermo Tejeda uses music to spark joy for students in a hardscrabble neighborhood.
Read More
Teachers are still leaving, but these aspiring educators are excited to join the profession
Students working toward a career in teaching cite impact as a key factor in their decision.
Read More
California passes education bills to reduce school discipline, hire back retirees
The California legislature passed a series of state Department of Education-supported bills, including one aimed at reducing discipline options for students who engage in “willful defiance” against teachers.
Read More
School book bans have increased 33% since last year, but hope is not lost
Despite growing lawsuits and protests against book restrictions, bans continue to spread rapidly, according to a new report. But students are providing a glimmer of hope.
Read More
Credentialing commission could change the way California tests teachers
California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing is considering whether the state should continue to use educator assessments customized for the state, adopt assessments given in other states, use a combination of both, or do something else.
Read More
Will students really get off cellphones? California's Phone-Free Schools Act, explained
Here's are the details of California's Phone-Free Schools Act, approved by lawmakers and sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom. Get ready for a massive change for cellphone-obsessed students.
Read More
Is elementary school free in California?
Elementary school is free in California: a basic right for all children
Read More

Get latest news delivered daily!

We will send you breaking news right to your inbox

© 2025 educationopportunity.org, Privacy Policy | FPPC #1460602