The NCLI Coalition staff spent a day on Capital Hill recently. "Our ultimate goal is to convince Congress to embed the NCLI Act into the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which we expect Congress to move on this summer!"
This week, members of the MCLI traveled from as far as Hawaii, New Mexico, and Kentucky to educate their Members of Congress about the NCLI Act and evnironmental education's role in strengthening America's competitiveness in the global economy.
There were traning sessions by the National Wildlife Federation’s National Advocacy Center in Washington, D.C., with policy experts from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Earth Day Network, North American Association for Environmental Education, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, National Wildlife Federation and others.The NCLI's website states that, "The inclusion of NCLI in ESEA will substantially strengthe Anerica's education systems by:
- Incentivizing states to develop State Environmental Literacy Plans to ensure that every student is prepared to understand the environmental challenges of the future;
- Funding professional development for teachers to deliver high quality environmental education and utilize the local environment as an extension of the classroom;
- Improving systems and critical thinking through environmental education which aids in boosting student achievement; and
- Encouraging teachers, administrators, and school leadership to make time and resources available for environmental education for all students.
More: US Department of Education The Administration's proposal for improving No Child Left Behind (the Elementary and Secondary Education Act).
What do you think about the NCLI?
don't believe that OK will sign on for that! For some UNKNOWN reason, people around here don't think there's anything wrong with our environment. Maybe after this summer, when the weather starts affecting them, people will change their minds. {:-D
ReplyDeleteI will be happy when Congress acts like they care through their actions and not empty words. Support our children, our future, and our schools by doing better for the educational system....
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this and I thin it's a great program. Kids these days are too consumed with TV and video games...getting outside is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good idea to me but then again I live in major environmental friendly Oregon! (i.e. tree huggers!)
ReplyDeleteWe are all connected to our environment. That's a fact. Wouldn't it be great if there was universal respect and interest?!
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