The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has released the state’s first-ever K-12 Environmental Literacy Strategic Plan.
Environmental literacy equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be lifelong stewards of our environment.
The three-year plan, developed by the Office of Environmental Education at DCR, will help teachers cultivate students capable of identifying environmental challenges in their communities and equip them to find solutions.
The plan is organized around four goals:
- Cultivating networks
- Supporting educators
- Advancing a student-centered approach
- Strengthening access to resources
All Virginians have a role in supporting environmental literacy. The plan offers opportunities to participate for:
- Educators: connect classroom learning to local environments, community issues and meaningful outdoor experiences.
- School divisions: develop or strengthen division-level environmental literacy plans and identify partners who can help put those plans into action.
- Environmental education organizations: align programs and resources with statewide priorities and deepen partnerships with schools and communities.
- State agencies and local governments: identify opportunities to connect conservation, education, workforce development, resilience and community engagement.
- Colleges and universities: support educator preparation, research, professional learning, evaluation and the development of future environmental leaders.
- Businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations: bring expertise, resources, places, people and new perspectives into environmental literacy efforts.
For additional information about the plan, visit the DCR’s Office of Environmental Education website at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/elitplan.
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