Federal Legislative Action
NCLI: No Child Left Inside Act: The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is also known as No Child Left Behind, which in the past few years has fundamentally changed the way that education is delivered in this country. It has defined the core content that all students in the United States must learn to be considered proficient at each grade level. As of 2007, this includes content standards in reading, math, and science. In many school districts, this has translated into teaching only those subjects and standards that are assessed. We propose that the items in NCLI be included as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
If Congress adopts the NCLI proposals, a substantially strengthened Elementary and Secondary Education Act will include:
- Funding to train teachers to deliver high quality Environmental Education and utilize the local environment as an extension of the classroom.
- Incentives for states to develop State Environmental Literacy Plans to insure that every student is prepared to understand the environmental challenges of the future.
- Encouragement for teachers, administrators, and school systems to make time and resources available for environmental education for all students.
- Environmental Education will be integrated across core subject areas.
The Senate House, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee (HELP) is asking stakeholders to submit comments on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Learn More and please take a few moments today to email the HELP Committee at ESEAcomments@help.senate.gov and let them know that you support the inclusion of the No Child Left Inside Act (S.866) in the reauthorized ESEA. Here are some tips for submitting your comments:
- Send your comments in the format of a letter on organizational letterhead.
- Personalize your comments with information about your organization—size and type, interest in environmental education, specific progress in your state/region.
- Send a copy of your comments to Sarah Bodor, sbodor@cbf.org, so that we can follow-up on your comments in subsequent meetings with Committee staff and other members of Congress
Remember, comments should be emailed to ESEAcomments@help.senate.gov.
NCLI: No Child Left Inside Act – Update:
President’s Budget Request Includes Environmental Education
As members of the NCLI Coalition and supporters of environmental education, we have reason to celebrate. On Monday, the Obama Administration released its proposed budget for fiscal year 2012. It once again includes environmental education as a subject eligible for funding within a proposed $246.1M competitive grants program entitled “A Well-Rounded Education”. The grants program is part of the Administration’s budget request for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It’s encouraging to know that the President and Secretary Duncan continue to place a priority on the expansion of environmental education as part of its overall efforts to improve achievement and prepare students for 21st century jobs.
The FY12 budget request is different than the proposed Continuing Resolution (CR) being considered on the House floor this week. The CR applies to the current fiscal year (FY11), and if passed, would result in $100 Billion in cuts across domestic spending budgets.
President Obama Visits Baltimore Middle School and Gets a Lesson in Environmental Education
Even more exciting yesterday than the release of the President’s budget was the venue he chose to unveil it—a school where students are using project-based environmental education to hone their STEM skills.
Accompanied by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Obama toured an eighth grade science class at Parkville Middle School. As students demonstrated projects ranging from research of the Chesapeake Bay, to how groundwater gets contaminated by over-fertilized farmland, Obama told the students he was “proud” of them, and the importance of staying focused on scientific research as a way to remain competitive in today’s globalized economy.
You can read the complete story here.
ESEA Reauthorization Advancing
Over the past several weeks, President Obama, Secretary Duncan, and Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle have repeatedly signaled their commitment to reach across political lines to reauthorize ESEA this year. As we intensify our efforts to make sure expansion of environmental and outdoor education is included in the reauthorization bill, we will be again turning to Coalition members across the country for help in urging Congress to support the NCLI Act. Stay tuned!
State Legislative Action
NC Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights: This proclamation has been endorsed by the NCCAN! Coalition and has many supporters across the state. It affirms our common belief that every child in NC has a right to outdoor experiences in nature and why this is important to a child’s physical, mental, health and education achievement. Read more here.
NC Environmental Literacy Plan: This plan will make NC ready to implement NCLI and become eligible for additional federal funding for education. NCLI focuses specifically on enhancing environmental literacy through “formal” public K-12 education. Consistent with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, this initiative’s focus is on student achievement through the adoption of environmental literacy plans and teacher training programs. To address our nation’s growing needs for environmental education, we need both informal and formal programs and federal funding to support both. Read more about the Environmental Literacy Plan.
