Environmental Literacy Specified in Proposed Federal Education Budget

A lot happened this week in environmental education on the federal level! For the first time, environmental literacy has been included in the proposed federal education budget. This was noted in a news update this week from the American Forestry Association:

The President’s budget request includes $246.1 million through the Department of Education for a new program, Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education, which would support competitive grants to local school districts, alone or in partnership with states, to support education programs focused on “well-rounded” subjects, including environmental education. The President included this in his 2011 budget request. This funding could help to support the No Child Left Inside Act, if the bill is included as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

To view the text from the budget, follow this link and look under "Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education, A Well-Rounded Education."

This is a major development for the environmental education field and shows that environmental education is increasingly recognized as an effective methodology to enhance learning in all subjects and provides direct, measurable academic and health benefits to students.

Senator Jack Reed and Congressman John Sarbanes were each quoted in a press release from the No Child Left Inside Coalition about the provision. Reed and Sarbanes respectively introduced the No Child Left Inside Act in the Senate and House and have continually supported environmental literacy on the federal level.

"This budget takes an important step toward boosting environmental education in the classroom and giving more kids the opportunity to get out and learn about the natural world around them," said Senator Jack Reed (RI). "Environmental education can help raise student achievement in other core subjects like math and science. This is a smart investment in our children's future and the future of our planet."

"The President's budget proposal is a terrific first step for environmental education," said Congressman John Sarbanes, author of the No Child Left Inside House legislation. "I look forward to working with the Administration to more fully incorporate environmental education into school curriculums across the country."

More details on the budget and No Child Left Inside legislation can be found in the NCLI press release.

Here are more updates on environmental education at the federal level. Thanks goes to the American Forest Foundation for keeping an eye on Washington and allowing the use of their news release.

This week, Congress began debating a Continuing Resolution, a bill to fund the federal government through the rest of 2011. On Monday, the President released his Budget Proposal to Congress for 2012.

EPA’s Office of Environmental Education (funded by the National Environmental Education Act) In the Continuing Resolution for 2011 funding, the Office of Environmental Education escapes cuts and is funded at 2010 levels of $9.038 million. We will continue to watch for amendments that would propose cuts to this program. The President’s Budget for 2012 funding proposes an increase of $847,000 to $9.885 million.

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Learn and Serve America.

The Continuing Resolution (2011) proposes to completely cut all funding for CNCS programs, including Learn and Serve America, which provides direct and indirect support to K-12 schools, community groups and higher education institutions to facilitate service-learning projects.

The President’s Budget (2012) proposes level-funding (same as 2010) at 39.5 million.

Other Details from the President’s Budget

The President proposes a $46.8 million investment through the Department of the Interior in initiatives to foster the next generation of conservation leaders and connect youth to America’s Great Outdoors.

Next Steps: The House will continue to debate the Continuing Resolution for 2011 funding throughout this week, possibly voting on final passage by the end of the week. We are watching for amendments that propose further spending cuts. Later this month, the Senate will debate and vote on the 2011 Continuing Resolution. Then, the House and Senate will resolve any differences and send the final bill to the President for his signature. If the 2011 Continuing Resolution is not passed by March 4, 2011, the federal government shuts down.

Throughout March and April, the Congressional committees will hold hearings to review the budget for 2012. We can expect the committee votes and full House and Senate votes to take place later in the spring and summer.