Q.  What is environmental education?  Don’t you mean environmental science?  

A.   Environmental Education is the study of the relationships and interactions between natural and human systems. It is interdisciplinary, combining aspects of natural sciences such as ecology and geography with aspects of social sciences such as economics, law, and public health. It is hands-on, student-centered, inquiry driven, and relevant to students’ everyday lives.  

Environmental Science focuses specifically on the environmental aspects of meteorology, atmospherics, soil and water chemistry, as well as ecology.  It is the study of the interactions among physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment.  

Two NSF boards have underscored the importance of environmental education and have called for a systematic approach to EE.  Business leaders like Dupont’s Charles Holliday, believe an environmentally literate workforce is critical to their long term success and profitability.  A recent Roper Poll found that 95% of the public supports EE in schools.

Q.  Isn’t this a new program?   We have a policy against adding new programs to NCLB.     

A.  This isn’t a new program.  Before NCLB, classroom and field-based environmental education programs were on the rise in States and school systems throughout the country.    However, since NCLB was enacted, many schools have largely abandoned environmental education programs and valuable hands-on field investigations in order to spend more time and resources to meet NCLB’s testing requirements.  This cut back in environmental ed has happened even though studies have demonstrated that environmental education improves student achievement in core subject areas.   What we are simply trying to do is: 1)  restore the ability of states and school systems to offer classroom and outdoor environment education programs as part of their curricula, 2) give them the resources they need, and 3) address the basic goals of NCLB. 

Q.   Aren’t these literacy plans a new mandate on the states?  

A.   No.  First, States are not required to submit environmental literacy plans.  The plans are only a condition to receive grant funds.  Second, the legislation allows each state to define the content of environmental literacy as part of the planning process.  Almost every state has already worked though those plans as part of existing, or pre existing  educational policy statements, and this should not be a costly or time-consuming burden on states.   

 Q.  What is the difference between this initiative and EPA’s environmental education program? 

A.  The focus of the two programs is different.  EPA’s environmental education program provides very small “seed” grants (currently averaging about $5 million/year, nationwide or about $100,000 per state) primarily to non-profit organizations to help develop local EE programs.  The funds also support undergraduate and graduate internships and fellowships at EPA, the National Environmental Education Foundation, and an awards program. 

NCLI focuses specifically on enhancing environmental literacy through public K-12 education.  Consistent with NCLB, this initiative’s focus is on student achievement through the environmental literacy plans and teacher training program.