Environmental Education and Environmental Literacy

Overview

State Guidance

Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs)
The EP&Cs examine the interactions and interdependence of human societies and natural systems. Students and teachers need not memorize the five environmental principles and 15 supporting concepts. Rather, they are “big ideas” intended to inform standards-based instruction and fuel student inquiry. Teachers can support environmental literacy by helping students to understand and apply the EP&Cs across academic disciplines and in the real world. More information is available through this California Department of Education (CDE) Environmental Principles and Concepts web page.

The CDE supports the implementation of the EP&Cs, environmental education and environmental literacy (including climate change) in kindergarten through grade twelve (K–12) schools, through our California Regional Environmental Education Community Program and by providing access to resources and grant opportunities both internal and external to CDE.

Publications

A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy

In June 2014, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Tom Torlakson convened the California Environmental Literacy Task Force (ELTF) to think deeply about how to build a future for an environment that is sustainable, healthy, prosperous, and equitable. The resulting report produced by the ELTF to the SSPI in September 2015, A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy: Educating Every Student In, About, and For the Environment provides guiding strategies and recommendations to realize the ambitious goal of achieving environmental literacy for all California students.

Report

A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy: Educating Every Student In, About, and For the Environment (PDF)
Accessible Alternate Version of A Blueprint for Environmental Literacy

Environmental Grants

California Department of Education (CDE) California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Grants Program

The CDE’s CREEC grants support activities of the CREEC Network. Three grants are issued to support CREEC North, CREEC Central and CREEC South. Each grant supports activities that result in long-term educational benefits to California educators and students. Recipients of the CREEC Grants will provide services to each CREEC Region. Professional learning opportunities are provided for educators as well as time for them to connect with one another and develop high quality lessons for students. See the Funding Results below for current and past grant recipients. The CREEC Network helps support increased environmental literacy levels of adults and students in grades Kindergarten through grade twelve.

Visit a CREEC Region webpage to find professional learning opportunities, resources, local grants, and connect with a CREEC Contact.

Request for Applications

The CDE received an allocation of $360,000 from the Environmental License Plate Funds to be distributed per Public Resources Code Chapter 1105 Section 21190 (c). The 2024-25 Request for Applications (RFA) solicited applications that were due February 13, 2024.

Current Funding Results

• The 2024-25 CREEC Grant Program funding results are available for viewing

Past Funding Results

• The 2023-24 Environmental Education Grant Program funding results are available for viewing.
• The 2022-23 Environmental Education Grant Program funding results are available for viewing.
• The 2021-22 Environmental Education Grant Program funding results are available for viewing.
• The 2020-21 Environmental Education Grant Program funding results are available for viewing.

Climate Change and Environmental Justice Curriculum Grant

Legislation: Assembly Bill 130, Chapter 44, Statutes of 2021 Section 151(a) for the 2021–22 fiscal year appropriated the sum of $6,000,000 from the General Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to allocate to the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) to contract for the creation of free and open education resources that are kindergarten through grade twelve (K–12) standards-based curriculum units on climate change and environmental justice and the integration of environmental principles and concepts developed pursuant to Section 71301 of the Public Resources Code.

The grant project is called the Climate Change and Environmental Justice Program (CCEJP), and more information is available at on the CCEJP webpage .

Grants Available to Schools to Support Environmental Literacy

California Coastal Commission Whale Tail Grants

The California Coastal Commission offers WHALE TAIL® Grants for nonprofits, schools, and government entities.

California State Parks Grant Program

The Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) develops grant programs that provide funding for local, state, and nonprofit organization projects.

Grants Posted on CREEC Network Website

Use this map to locate your CREEC Region number and click on the appropriate Region link to find grants for incorporating environmental literacy into schools.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Grants

The B-WET Grant Program offers regional funding opportunities through local NOAA host offices. Regional funding opportunities are generally published in late summer or fall each year.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental Education Grants

Under the Environmental Education Grants Program , EPA seeks grant applications from eligible applicants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help provide people with the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment.

Programs & Resources

California Department of Education (CDE) Programs and Initiatives

California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network
The CREEC Network is a program of the CDE. The CREEC Network is a network supporting the environmental literacy of California’s students by providing teachers with access to high quality environmental education resources.

Green Ribbon Schools Award Program
The California Green Ribbon Schools (CA-GRS) recognition award uses the applications submitted for nomination to the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) to recognize schools and school districts across the state for environmental excellence and demonstrated achievement of the three Pillars of ED-GRS.

Resources

California's Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C's)
The EP&C's examine the interactions and interdependence of human societies and natural systems.

Webinars

Supporting Student Resilience by Using Outdoor Spaces for Learning and Play, April 15, 2021 (Video; 57:16)

Supporting Student Resilience by Using Outdoor Spaces for Learning and Play, April 28, 2021 (Video; 55:02)

Partners & Networks

Partner Statewide Networks

California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE)
AEOE is a professional association for environmental and outdoor educators. AEOE is the California state affiliate of the North American Association for Environmental Education.

California Environmental Education Interagency Network (CEEIN)
CEEIN is a network which includes state agencies such as the California Department of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the California Natural Resources Agency, and the Department of Food and Agriculture. A web page provided by the California Coastal Commission provides access to more information about CEEIN, a calendar of events, and resources available from each participating agency.

The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)
CAELI is a public-private partnership that works with education partners throughout California, building the capacity for all kindergarten through grade twelve (K–12) students to become environmentally literate. CAELI, led by Ten Strands , works with statewide guidance from a leadership council to support environmental literacy with a focus on access, equity, and cultural relevance.

California Outdoor Schools Association (COSA)
COSA is a statewide network of outdoor schools and faculty that are managed by local educational agencies.

University of California (UC)-California State University (CSU) Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects (ECCLPs)
ECCLPs is advancing PreK–12 climate and environmental literacy, justice and action through an innovative partnership between the UC-CSU systems.

Climate Change

In addition to our Environmental Education and Environmental Literacy web page, Multiple California Department of Education (CDE) web pages and California County Office of Education web pages provide information and resources to teach adults and students in transitional kindergarten through grade twelve (TK–12) about climate change. Climate change education is a critical component of environmental literacy education. Environmentally literate citizens are necessary to help people survive in particular areas of the Unites States affected by climate change and to create necessary technology and mitigation practices. Therefore, the CDE currently has multiple programs to help create environmentally literate California citizens.

Professional Learning

Climate change is addressed through multiple academic content areas provided on the CDE Professional Learning Curriculum Areas web page. The California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network provides professional learning opportunities, access to high quality curriculum instructional materials, and support to teachers to develop lessons related to environmental literacy. More information about the CREEC Network can be found on the CDE CREEC Network web page.

State Content Standards

Climate change is addressed through multiple academic content areas provided on the CDE Content Standards web page.

State Frameworks

Climate change is addressed through multiple California State Frameworks provided on the Curriculum Frameworks & Instructional Materials web page.

California Green Ribbon School Award Program Resources

Climate change is addressed in multiple resources that help California schools achieve a California Green Ribbon School Aware. Resources are listed on the Green Ribbon Application Resources web page.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts

The California Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&C's) examine the interactions and interdependence of human societies and natural systems. As stated in California Education Code Section 51227.3. "the environmental principles and concepts shall be incorporated, as the state board determines to be appropriate, in the criteria developed for textbook adoption required pursuant to Section 60200 or 60400." More information about the EP&Cs is provided on the San Diego County Office of Education's Environmental Literacy in CA web page.

Resources to Teach About Climate Change

CREEC Network Resources

Use this CREEC Region map to locate your CREEC Region number and click on the appropriate Region link to see statewide and regional resources for incorporating environmental literacy (including climate change) into lessons with students.