Results of a Longitudinal Survey: Status of State-Level Comprehensive EE Programs

1. Results of aLongitudinal Survey:Status of State-Level Comprehensive EE Programs 34th Annual NAAEE Conference Albuquerque, New Mexico October 2005

2. PresentersAbby Ruskey & Richard WilkeNEEAP & EEAW EETAP at UWSP

3. Project Sponsors U.S. EPA Office of EE EE and Training Partnership National EE Advancement Project

4. Support, Disclaimer, and Permission to Use • The research, PowerPoint slide presentation, and notes of the 50 State Survey publication were funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Education under agreement number NT-82865901-5 between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. • The contents of these documents do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the United States Environmental Protection Agency or The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. • State and provincial environmental leaders and educators may use the results of the research for the non-commercial purposes of advancing environmental education. When using or presenting the research results and other information presented in the slide program and notes credit the authors and funding agency. No modification of the information in these documents is permitted without the written permission of the authors.

5. Session Outline • Project Background • Methodology for 2004 Survey • Highlights: 1995, 1998 and 2004 Surveys • Project Results 2004 • Recommendations

6. Components of a Comprehensive EE Program

7. Components of Comprehensive EE Programs “In Place”

8. Components of Comprehensive EE Programs “Developing”

9. Original 16 Components “In Place”

10. Survey Design • 2004 survey includes “artifacts” column • 30 quantitative questions, 14 with sub-items • Detailed descriptions of components • 3 open-ended questions • Online services by NAAEE Technology Services (NTS) • Survey data sorting by NTS and NEEAP

11. Survey Design Population • NAAEE Affiliates • State agency EE Specialists • PLT, WET and WILD coordinators Process • 348 EE leaders contacted. 82 responded. • 16 states re-contacted to coordinate responses

12. Program Components-In Place

13. Program Components-Developing

14. EE Learner Objectives/Outcomes in 23 States

15. 10 10 4 4 2 1 1 EE Learner Objectives/Outcomes in 23 States Subject Areas

16. Program Components-In Place

17. EE Correlations in 37 States Curriculum Programs 50 34 32 25 Other Programs: Leopold Education Project, K-12 Energy Education Program, Food-Land-People, Nature Mapping, and 43 state specific programs

18. Educator Training Program Components

19. Educator Training Program Components

20. Assessment and Recognition Program Components

21. Certification, Assessment and Recognition Program Components

22. Structure Components

23. Structure Components

24. EE Offices in 17 States Full Time Employees=75 Part Time Employees=16

25. Funding Components

26. Sources of Funding • Grants and Donations= 34 states • General Revenue = 21 states • Pollution Fines = 14 states • Specialty License Plates = 12 states • Lottery Proceeds = 3 states • % of Sales Tax = 2 states • Other (hunting license, mill tax, etc.) = 13 states

27. Funding Components

28. Number of States with Funding for EE Grants 16 6 1 1

29. Number of Grants Funded 17 3 1

30. Funding Components

31. EE Legislation

32. Open-ended Questions #1-2 • What resources and/or services have been particularly helpful in supporting the development of the components of comprehensive EE programs in your state? • What national and/or regional organizations and agencies have provided needed support?

33. Responses to Open-ended Questions $$$ • Funding from outside of the state • U.S. EPA Office of EE • EETAP partners conduits • U.S. EPA Regional Offices • Only one state mentioned in-state source • Four states listed other outside sources including corporate, foundation, and other federal agencies

34. Responses to Open-ended Questions National Programs-Top Three • NAAEE (27 states) Guidelines publications and training-8 states Annual conference (affiliates workshop)-7 states • NEEAP (20 states) State CB programs and services-15 states Leadership Clinics - 22 states • EETAP (15 states) State Capacity Building programs-11 states Certification-3 states

35. Responses to Open-ended Questions National Programs, continued • EPA OEE (17 states) and Regional Offices (13 states) • Project WET (7 states), WILD (6 states), PLT (6 states) • State Education and Environment Roundtable (4 states) • US Fish and Wildlife Service (3 states) • Several other organizations and agencies listed by 1-2 states

36. Responses to Open-ended Questions State-Level Support • Staff/programs and committed directors in state agencies (14) • State EE associations (13) • EE and nature centers (8) • Corporations and foundations (9) • Universities and colleges (3) • Museums, aquaria, zoos (1)

37. Recommendations • Three recommendations for improving future surveys. • Nine recommendations to advance capacity for environmental education.

38. Recommendations Related to Survey 1. Conduct the survey of state comprehensive EE programs every 3 years. 2. Follow-up with state EE leaders where “artifact” information is missing or unclear. Make results available through websites, articles and other promotional avenues.

39. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity • Develop a National EE Capacity Building Strategy.

40. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 2. Continue programs that support the development of state/provincial-level comprehensive EE programs.

41. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 3. Provide a program to develop sustainable state and provincial EE associations.

42. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 4. Target support to states interested in adoption of the Guidelines for Excellence, certification, materials review and other strategic initiatives to build and professionalize the field.

43. Example Adoption of NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence by the EE Association of Washington October 22, 2005 The EEAW Board of Directors recognizes the importance of the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education and the contributions it has made to environmental education as a field and in the state of Washington. EEAW formally adopts the Guidelines and commits to promoting them to members and partners and to their use in the development and implementation of organizational activities. The Board also recognizes the value of integrating the national guidelines with the state guidelines and standards for professional development to benefit all educators, formal and nonformal alike, and commits to a process of intentional alignment

44. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 5. Develop a business plan and funding to launch a Leadership Clinic Institute.

45. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 6. Prioritize funding, training and incentives for cultural competency and stakeholder collaboration.

46. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 7. Encourage foundations and agencies to develop programs that are longer term and support EE institution building.

47. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 8. Help EE leaders develop in and out of state funding resources.

48. Recommendations-Building EE Capacity 9. Develop a media/marketing campaign for EE.

49. THANK YOU! • Funding: EETAP and U.S. EPA Office of EE • Survey Instrument Development: Abby Ruskey and Rick Wilke with help from Tracie Beasley, Joe Heimlich, Jeremy Higgins, Michelle Kirk, Gus Medina, Bora Simmons and Michaela Zint • Online Survey Services: Paul Nowak and Nef Straub • Data Crunchers and Chart Makers: Amy Heart, Karin Kraft, Abby Ruskey, Nef Straub and Anna Sullivan