2002 Annual Report: Environmental Education

Under State mandate, the Board created the new Office of Integrated Environmental Education in early 2001. The School Diversion and Environmental Education Law (DEEL), Chapter 926, Statutes of 2001 (SB 373, Torlakson), requires California schools to introduce the following environmental education concepts:

• In concert with the State Board of Education, establish environmental concepts in schools’ science curriculum frameworks through the California Education Code.
• Establish an environmental ambassador pilot program (EAPP) that promotes sustainable school programs, coordinated instruction with on-site action programs, service learning partnerships, and assessment of the impact of these programs on student achievement and resources conservation.
• Develop and implement a unified education strategy (UES) on the environment for elementary and secondary schools.
• Develop a teacher training plan for the UES and accompanying materials.
• Develop school waste reduction tools and models for implementation.
• Evaluate implementation of school waste reduction and recycling programs in California schools.
• Create a grant program for schools and school districts to implement integrated environmental education and integrated waste management practices.

Throughout 2002, the primary focus for the Board was the planning and implementing of the School DEEL. The Board approved its School DEEL Implementation Plan in September 2002. The plan was designed to incorporate, in a coordinated fashion, the programmatic aspects of the legislation, such as the EAPP, UES, and accompanying grants.

The Board and its consultants are working with eight school districts-which comprise the EEAP-to bring the existing waste diversion programs in these districts to model status. A key component of the EAPP is the integration of instructional strategies. These strategies give students opportunities to use the school campus resource conservation programs as learning labs for implementation of service-learning projects. The districts are receiving monetary support and technical assistance throughout the project.

The UES component of the School DEEL plan involves a competitive grant program that was offered in December 2002. Cycle one grant applications are due February 28, 2003; cycle two, on April 11, 2003. The Board will award both cycles in May 2003. On approval, the Board will work with the grantees to implement the UES program, which consists of two year-long phases. Phase one is focused on student-performed campus audits, analysis, and planning. Phase two will implement developed plans based on the results of the audit findings. Funding levels per grantee range from $27,000 for phase one to $38,000 for phase two.

An important feature of the School DEEL Implementation Plan for the EAPP and UES is the professional development training planned in the summers of 2003 and 2004. This training will provide critical information and “how-to” approaches to the grantee districts. The training will be the catalyst for systemic reform of resource efficiency and student academic performance in the school districts.

The EAPP and UES programs will conclude by June 2005. The Board will report to the Legislature on the progress of the programs and make recommendations for the future.

Other 2002 educational highlights include the following efforts:

• The K-12 Alliance Contract: The contract with K-12 Alliance concluded in October 2002 with the contractor exceeding the goal of the project. The goal was training 720 educators statewide in the curriculum “Earth Resources-A Case Study: Oil.” The trainings took place in all 11 superintendent regions established by the California Department of Education. In addition, K-12 Alliance trained 49 Earth Resources (ER) facilitators who can now conduct ER trainings on behalf of the Board. They can also reach more teachers throughout the state.
• California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN): On October 23, 2002, secretaries and dignitaries of each CEEIN member agency gathered at Cal/EPA headquarters to renew the CEEIN partnership. They signed an updated memorandum of understanding, and they received an award from the Governor in recognition of this unique and successful partnership. CEEIN partners with the Walt Disney Company in Jiminy Cricket’s Environmentality Challenge, an environmental education program for fifth-grade students in California schools. The Board continues to manage the CEEIN contract for this program.
• Keep California Beautiful (KCB): The Board continued its participation on the Board of Directors for KCB and provided direct assistance in developing the organization’s strategic plan. The Board awarded KCB $40,000 in funds for a mini-grant program with local communities.
• Border Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): The Board assisted Cal/EPA in finalizing an MOU to facilitate partnerships on environmental education initiatives between California and Mexico. Moreover, the Board continued work on the bi-national implementation committee to develop by-laws for this MOU partnership. The Board also helped create the Conservation and Pollution Prevention at a Shared Border course, a K-6, five-unit cross-media curriculum for Baja teachers. The curriculum will be published in the summer of 2003 and has been reviewed and field-tested by Baja teachers. Workshops will commence in the fall of 2003.

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