Virginia Science Education Leadership Association

THE NOAA CHESAPEAKE BAY WATERSHED EDUCATION AND TRAINING (B-WET) PROGRAM WILL BE PROVIDING $273,669 AS A 2-YEAR GRANT TO THE VIRGINIA SCIENCE LEADERS EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (VSELA). VSELA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WILL BUILD STATE CAPACITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION BY STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING THE STATE NETWORK OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNERS AND FORMAL EDUCATORS THAT SUPPORT K-12 SCHOOLS WITH ALIGNED INSTRUCTION OF THE SCIENCE STANDARDS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENVIRONMENTALLY LITERATE GRADUATES. THE GOALS OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT ARE: (1) TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF DIVISION LEADERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PARTNERS TO SUPPORT STUDENT ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL DIVISION ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLANS; (2) TO EXPAND THE REGIONAL NETWORK HUB MODEL RECENTLY PILOTED IN VIRGINIA; AND (3) TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE EDUCATION RESOURCE REPOSITORY THAT WILL BE FREE AND AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA. THE MAIN ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES OF THESE GOALS ARE TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF SCHOOL DIVISIONS TO PROVIDE RIGOROUS ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY INSTRUCTION INCLUDING THE INTEGRATION OF STUDENT MEANINGFUL WATERSHED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND WORK SESSIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL AND SCHOOL-DIVISION ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLANS.