Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District won a 2026 Green California Leadership Award, honored in the School District category for its sustainability and environmental education programs.

The district received the award at the Green California Summit on Tuesday and Tuesday, Sept. 15-16. The event also marked the summit's 20th anniversary, according to the district's LinkedIn post.

SMMUSD pointed to measurable results behind the recognition. Nine solar installations now provide 18% of districtwide electricity. Solid waste generation has dropped nearly 17% since the 2017-18 school year. Districtwide water costs have fallen 23%, though the district did not specify a baseline year for that figure.

On the transportation side, more than 2,600 students have signed up for Metro's GoPass program, which provides free transit passes.

The award also recognized student-led work across the district's campuses. Students are running projects in hydroponics, aquaponics, waste reduction and regenerative agriculture, the district said in its LinkedIn post. SMMUSD has built those efforts into its curriculum through an Environmental Education Policy and a Climate Literacy Resource Hub.

The district described its schools as "living laboratories" for sustainability, saying the programs span clean energy, conservation, transportation, food systems and climate education. The district said in a social media post Thursday that it was proud the dedication of its students, educators and staff had been recognized at the summit.

Superintendent Antonio Shelton leads the district, which highlighted the award on its social media accounts Thursday, Sept. 17.

More than 2,600 students enrolled in the GoPass transit program represent one of the district's most visible connections between sustainability goals and daily student life.