What are ROS Programs?

A Residential Outdoor School (ROS) program offers environmental education and natural science as the primary program components in an outdoor setting, and where students stay at the site at least one night. A typical ROS program is four or five days, though students younger than fifth grade often attend shorter programs. Most programs focus on fifth or sixth grade students, but many programs also serve other grades. Some of the programs also serve adults and offer specialty programs for families, individuals, and at risk youth. Though many residential outdoor schools serve existing public and private school classrooms, a number of programs operate during the summer and school breaks by serving self-selected students.

Several other terms, such as residential outdoor environmental education (ROEE), residential environmental learning center (RELC), environmental education center, environmental school, science camp, and outdoor center are used to describe programs identical to or similar to Residential Outdoor Schools. The term Residential Environmental Learning Center is usually reserved for programs meeting specific and comprehensive standards set by states or professional organizations. Programs which focus on traditional outdoor and backcountry skills and/or adventure and challenge education, without a major component of environmental education and natural science, are very valuable but not ROS programs. Day programs are also very valuable, but are not ROS programs. The emphasis on environmental education within a residential experience is key to a comprehensive personal and educational experience which allows and encourages the student to evaluate and change their own life in order to live more lightly on the earth.

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