History of EE in Virginia
- Executive Order 25 appoints the Virginia Environmental Education Commission (VEEC).
- Draft business plan developed
2001
- The Advisory Committee recommended ways to strengthen environmental education.
- The Virginia Office of Environmental Education is created.
2000
- The Virginia Naturally 2000 initiative is unveiled in the State of the Commonwealth Address.
- House Joint Resolution 301 recognizing Virginia Naturally as the Commonwealth's official environmental education initiative is passed.
- Executive Order #68 creating the Virginia Environmental Education Advisory Committee is signed.
- The Governor's Forum on Environmental Education is held December to craft a master plan for Environmental Education in Virginia.
Status of Environmental Education in Virginia
Much of the activity being conducted for students and teachers is centered around the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs), the guidelines in math, science, English and social studies adopted in 1995 for what students are expected to know. Learning about the environment and natural resources is included in every grade level, K - 12. Since local school divisions adopt their own plan of studies or curriculums, learning about the environment could occur in every grade.
Structure
Virginia has several mechanisms for information sharing and coordination of environmental education activities.
- The Virginia Resource-Use Education Council (VRUEC), comprised of state natural resource agencies, state universities and some federal agencies, promotes, coordinates and facilitates opportunities for teacher training, especially in areas not represented by formal state programs.
- The Virginia Naturally Calendar
- The Environmental Education Directory was a searchable database of programs and services.
Funding
Most environmental education programs are funded through GRANTS -- federal, state and private. Several sources that are unique to Virginia educators are the Classroom Grants, Virginia Environmental Endowment, Dominion's Partnership Program, and the state's Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund.
Trends
Over the past five years, more and more environmental education activities: nature programs for schools, teacher training workshops, and information resources, are being provided by local and regional governments, (recreation, public works, or planning departments) and by environmental/conservation groups (for example, James River Association, Friends of the North Fork Shenandoah, etc.). Regional or multi-jurisdiction watershed groups are being formed with education as a major initiative. For example, the Shenandoah Pure Water 2000 Forum sponsors a number of educational activities.
State agencies, museums and other organizations sponsor a variety of programs for both youth and adults. For a full listing, see the list of partners. They offer a variety of free teacher training programs such as Project WET, WILD and Learning Tree. These three programs train more than 3,400 teachers a year using a network of 350 volunteer instructors or facilitators. Many of these volunteers include informal educators and field staff from parks and nature centers, residential and day camps, soil and water conservation districts, botanical gardens, watershed and conservation groups, and public service authorities or sanitation districts.
View the business plan for recommendations to enhance environmental education in Virginia.