EE 2000 On the Forefront
"EE 2000 On the Forefront" is a new section of
The EE Advocate created to inform readers of the many advances EE 2000 states have made since the program's inception in 1995 (CA, TX and MS joined in 1997). All states have many more initiatives to their credit, but were limited to provide a one-paragraph summary for this column. Up and coming issues of The EE Advocate will provide current news about EE programs in these 12 states, and the EE capacity building activities of the 14 EE 2000 Associate states involved in the EE 2000 network. More information about the EE 2000 Program can be obtained at http://neeap.uwsp.edu/EE2000/ee2000_desc.htm.The Environmental Education Advocate - Spring/Summer 1999
The following information is provided to you as a service of the National
Environmental Education Advancement Project (NEEAP). We encourage you to use it and
please credit the National Environmental Education
Advancement Project where appropriate.
Launching Working Structures in a Vast State
The National Environmental Education (in California) Advancement Project (NEECAP) has recently been renamed the "Golden State EE Consortium" (GSEEC), and has made tremendous strides, particularly in the area of organizational development. Short term goals for 1998-99 set the stage for internal restructuring for the GSEEC steering committee leading to the development of subcommittee structures to target specific goals and work constructively towards implementation. The steering committee formalized five committees: 1) Constituency; 2) Communication; 3) EE Organizational Advancement; 4) Pre-service/In-service Education; and 5) Training. GSEEC membership is working to link with the vast array of EE players, as well as working toward an inclusive vision and strategy for the entire state. This is closely coordinated with the California EE Coordinators (CREEC) Network, organized out of the CA Department of Education.
Supporting Staff and EE Council for Increased Activity
The organizational restructuring of the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE), called for in a 1996 strategic plan, focused on the creation of a statewide EE Advisory Council. The council provides a fresh, new outlook to the organization, electing CAEE’s board of directors, setting priorities, and extending the level of accomplishment by providing a pool of uniquely committed volunteers for working committees. CAEE’s staff time was opened up, through its participation in EE 2000, to concentrate on CAEE organizational priorities, such as implementing the Colorado EE Correlations Project and linking the state’s EE programs to the state curriculum standards.
Developing Alliances and Innovative Services in EE
The State of Illinois and the Illinois Environmental Education Advancement Consortium (IEEAC) have benefited greatly from their involvement in the EE 2000 program. Three major accomplishments have resulted. First, IEEAC developed a model training workshop for non-formal educators. This training helps to connect non-formal and formal realms. The model has been used successfully in other states. Another accomplishment was the update of Illinois EL for IL, the environmental literacy plan for IL. IEEAC is hoping to carry this plan through a process with the Illinois DNR to find it a permanent home and funding. Finally, IEEAC has entered into a major collaboration with the Environmental Education Association of Illinois to design an EE leadership conference just for Illinois. The conference will be held in November 1999.
Reaching and Developing Leaders
Iowa’s EE capacity building achievements have focused on reaching state leaders to increase support for EE as well as increase the leadership skills of EE practitioners. Early efforts in Iowa included a pre-service summit to increase teacher training in EE, a revision of the states EE awards program, a membership development drive for the Iowa Conservation Education Council (ICEC), and the development of an Environmental Leadership Institute steering committee. In 1998, ICEC hired their first part-time executive director in the organization's 40 year history. In addition, strategic planning for ICEC, and special EE promotion training for the greater EE community will have ramifications for strengthening EE in Iowa for years to come.
Developing Plans and Funds to Lead in EE
The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) is entering it’s fourth year as an EE 2000 state. KACEE is a public/private partnership with 126 organizational members and 122 individual members. Most significant in KACEE’s efforts over the last year is the completion, distribution, and implementation of a Five-Year Strategic Plan, and six working committees to attain the goals outlined in the plan. KACEE is leading an initiative in cooperation with the State Department of Education to develop EE standards, and to correlate these with the Kansas core curricular standards, as well as Project Learning Tree, Project WET and Project WILD activities. In addition, KACEE continues to build financial support for the organization. This has increased the number of paid staff, who work along with executive committee members, working committee members and general members of KACEE towards their vision of an environmentally literate Kansas citizenry.
Re-working and Building the State's EE Infrastructure
The Kentucky Association for Environmental Education (KAEE) board members, as well as more than one hundred representatives from education, industry and business, government, and agriculture, have been working for the past year in a massive undertaking to develop a comprehensive statewide master plan for EE. Coordinated by the KY Environmental Education Council, this yearlong project is culminating in recommendations on state standards, post-secondary education, improved coordination, and adult environmental literacy. Involvement in EE 2000 has also helped the KAEE increase and strengthen their leadership base and promote a positive image for EE in Kentucky
New Beginnings: A State Association and Youth Leadership
The EE 2000 program provided the impetus for Mississippi to launch the Mississippi EE Alliance (MEEA), complete with a board, by-laws, a newsletter, and an annual conference. MEEA's fall conference has created a large ripple which is still resonating. The youth component (Project CARE) conducted their first leadership clinic during February and the spring youth conference is quickly taking shape. A "Green Schools" initiative is brewing, and it looks like MEEA has a new agenda! Each NEEAP Leadership Clinic is bringing Mississippi one step closer and this year’s highly motivated team was anxious and ready to learn and grow in Albuquerque.
Professional Development and Grassroots Networking
Long in coming, the Missouri Environmental Education Association (MEEA) "took flight" as a result of NEEAP's EE 2000 program. Born in 1996, MEEA became the grassroots partner to the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) office of EE. Officers of MEEA conducted member surveys to guide the strategic planning process, developed a newsletter and affiliated with NAAEE. The first Missouri Conference on EE was held in 1997. This conference, a model schools training program, the Show-Me Conservation Outdoor Classroom Grant program, and a regional network have been established as a result of the close cooperation between MEEA and the MDC office of EE. MEEA has focused its efforts in the last year on establishing a committee structure and seven standing committees.
Building Diversity in EE and Linking with Formal Education
Since joining the NEEAP project, the Environmental Education Association of New Mexico (EEANM) has made great strides toward building grassroots support for environmental education. The EE 2000 program inspired EEANM to take the leading role in expanding and strengthening EE statewide. EEANM established a subcommittee to achieve EE benchmarks and EE best practices for New Mexico, along with a strategy to build collaboration among diverse groups including increased outreach. Other efforts include a newsletter that has been held as an example for its creativity and networking ability, and is produced in cooperation with multiple partners from the education field. EEANM has assumed a leading role in a statewide EE list serve, and has also developed a web site. This year the State Legislature is looking at establishing an EE coordinator position within the department of education.
Developing a "World Class" State EE Center
Pennsylvania takes pride in the creation of one of the largest funded EE state capacity building efforts in the nation. As one of the EE 2000 goals, Pennsylvania chose to form a partnership of 11 agencies and organizations whose overall purpose is state capacity building. The partnership includes Pennsylvania's Department of Education, State System of Higher Education, Department of Environmental Protection, etc. This effort was formalized through an executive order by Governor Tom Ridge and funded at $225,000/year over a ten year period. The Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education (PCEE) is now in its third year of operation. In that time, Pennsylvania has completed a statewide EE needs assessment and begun four statewide initiatives: 1) professional development, 2) higher education, 3) business and industry and 4) information dissemination.
Bringing Together Diverse Partners to Increase & Sustain EE
Organizational development is always a challenge in a state as massive as Texas. As a result of EE 2000, a representative body of EE leaders was developed to pursue initiatives to strengthen EE in Texas. Recently a statewide EE Trust Fund was established as a result of the efforts of the Texas Environmental Education Partnership (TEEP). The TEEP Communications Subcommittee developed an action plan and an information piece called "Environmental Education in Texas: Challenges and Opportunities". A communications workshop and editorial board meetings are scheduled, and other subcommittees have developed action plans. A state EE Master Plan is being drafted, and the TEEP Steering Committee has a diverse membership that includes business/industry. A Membership Task Force is making recommendations to ensure that this diversity continues. TEEP members have made 5 presentations about EE at conferences and more are scheduled.
Making EE Promotion and Leadership a Priority
The Wisconsin EE 2000 effort was guided by the priorities of the 1995 Wisconsin EE Summit. The leading objectives of this summit were to increase EE leadership , implement Wisconsin's EE program, and communicate EE to Wisconsin citizens. As a project of the Wisconsin Association for EE, the EE 2000 effort resulted in a prototype media training workshop and promotional brochure that other states are planning to model. The EE 2000 effort also resulted in a prototype EE media/promotion workshop that has since been provided in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and the Rocky Mountain States region. The Wisconsin EE Board will implement the next phase of the EE 2000 project, which involves a prototype EE leadership seminar series.
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