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Environmental Literacy Making a Splash

Freshman Kilee Henry, center, waits for fisherman to haul up a net in Virginia Beach, Va. She and classmates from Ocean Lakes High School attended the launch of one of the environmental-literacy efforts making a splash in schools.

—Photo by Rich-Joseph Facun for Education Week

By Erik W. Robelen

Environmental-literacy advocates are welcoming the launch of the federal Green Ribbon Schools program, suggesting it will help build on momentum they say is already evident for fostering across schools a deeper awareness and understanding of environmental issues.

Just days after the U.S. Department of Education unveiled criteria for the new competition late last month, a districtwide environmental-literacy initiative was announced for public schools in Virginia Beach, Va., that involves outside partners, including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Meanwhile, experts say states are working on or have recently devised plans for environmental literacy.

Maryland in June adopted what’s believed to be a one-of-a-kind state graduation requirement related to environmental literacy. Under the mandate, all students must learn about environmental issues to graduate, with the focus on infusing the subject into existing courses rather...