State Superintentent invites comments on education and environment initiative curriculum

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today that instructional materials submitted for the 2009 Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum Review for kindergarten through grade twelve are now available for public review and comment.

            "Students today will be responsible for making decisions that influence the future health of the environment," said O'Connell. "This curriculum provides the foundation to prepare students to be informed, environmentally conscious decision makers. I encourage educators, parents, and all interested parties to participate in the review of these landmark environmental instructional materials. Their input will help ensure that high-quality, standards-based environmental curricula are available to teachers and schools in California."

The curricula encompass 85 units that address about 100 science and history-social science standards. The curricula also cover environmental topics such as sustainability, global climate change, waste, water, energy, and resource conservation and recycling.

The California Department of Education's Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission (Curriculum Commission) is responsible for the review of the proposed materials and will submit its recommendation to the Secretaries of the California Environmental Protection Agency and the California Natural Resources Agency. The Secretaries will then submit the materials to the State Board of Education for approval.

A link to the EEI curricula and instructions for submitting public comment is available on the California Department of Education Web site at www.cde.ca.gov/157468. Comments received by September 1, 2009, will be forwarded to the Curriculum Commission for consideration prior to its September 24-25, 2009 meeting. Comments received after that date will be given to the Curriculum Commissioners the day of the meeting. Public comments and concerns also may be presented, orally or in writing, at the meeting.