Environmental Educators� Perceptions of Inaugural Louisiana State Department of Education Environmental Education Standards and Accompanying Environmental Education Endorsement Plan: A Multiple Case Study Approach

Abstract

Increasing environmental literacy through environmental education is an integral approach to fighting many of the environmental challenges facing Louisiana. The State Department of Education in Louisiana has released two initiatives to increase environmental literacy in the state while incorporating nonformal environmental education into formalized k-12 education. The first initiative is a set of Key Principles and Concepts (KPCs) in environmental education, which is aimed at providing standards to nonformal environmental educators in Louisiana. The second initiative, the Louisiana Environmental Education Advancement Plan (LEEAP), accompanies the KPCs and provides an opportunity for nonformal environmental education organizations to achieve endorsement through partnership with the Louisiana State Department of Education based on the degree to which the KPCs are met by the organization.