TCAPS earns Michigan Green Schools certification in every building

Every building in Traverse City Area Public Schools earned Michigan Green Schools certification for the 2025-2026 school year, putting TCAPS in a statewide class of its own and making it one of only two districts in Michigan to reach full participation. Haslett Public Schools was the only other district to hit 100 percent certification this year.

The certification requires schools to document at least 10 approved environmental activities during the school year. Within TCAPS, Westwoods Elementary School and Traverse City High School went a step further and reached Evergreen Status, the program’s top tier, which requires 20 or more activities. The district said the recognition covered all of its buildings, meaning the work was not limited to one school or one student club but spread across the system.

That matters because Michigan Green Schools is framed by the state as more than a plaque on a wall. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy says the program supports schools in protecting the state’s air, land, water and ecosystems, and its guidance says the effort can also support health, academics, environmental quality and school operations. For parents and taxpayers, that leaves the key question: whether the certification shows up in more than symbolism, with stronger recycling habits, energy conservation, student-led projects and more efficient day-to-day operations inside district buildings.

The achievement also fits a broader statewide trend. EGLE took over the program from a nonprofit in 2021, and the state said 358 schools were certified in 2025, up from 343 in 2024. In its 2026 update, EGLE said participation in Michigan Green Schools had more than doubled under its leadership. The program itself dates to Public Act 146 of 2006, signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, and it began with 18 participating schools in its first year.

TCAPS is already using the recognition publicly. A Traverse City High School page on the district’s website says the school is “Proud to be a Michigan Green School” for 2025-2026. For Grand Traverse County families, the practical test now is whether that districtwide certification turns into cleaner buildings, stronger environmental learning and the kind of operational habits that can matter long after the certificate is posted.