News Releases from Headquarters

EPA Awards $10.8M for National Environmental Education Training Program

WASHINGTON - More than 4,400 environmental educators will gain training and leadership opportunities in 2017 through a new cooperative agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE).

EPA is funding up to $10.8 million over five years through the agency’s teacher training program, formally known as the National Environmental Education Training Program (NEETP).

“Environmental educators help learners of all ages understand and value the ecosystems around them,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “The teacher training program gives educators access to the best classroom and out-of-classroom materials and professional development opportunities, focused on using the environment as a platform for learning science, technology, engineering and math skills to improve decision-making.”

NAAEE will launch a five-year program called “ee360,” starting in 2017. The association is bringing together a broad collection of partners: Antioch University, the Center for Diversity and the Environment, Earth Force, the NAAEE Affiliate Network, Project Learning Tree, Stanford University, the University of Oregon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. National Park Service, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Forest Service.

NAAEE and these partners will train professionals to deliver high-quality environmental education in formal and non-formal education settings. In the first year, ee360 aims to train more than 4,400 educators. The partners will also strengthen the field by building infrastructure through leadership clinics, developing state certification programs, using technology, expanding access to resources, and researching the value of environmental education. 

Since 1992, EPA’s teacher training program has funded training, helped universities and states develop accredited certification programs, and promoted the national Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence. 

For more information on the teacher training program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/education/national-environmental-education-training-program

For more information on NAAEE, visit: www.naaee.org

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