Building Relationships to Collaboratively and Inclusively Advance
the Field of Environmental Education in Illinois
the Field of Environmental Education in Illinois
The Environmental Education Association of Illinois is excited to announce that an incredible group of organizations have come together to secure funding to rewrite the Illinois Environmental Literacy Plan - EL4IL. 50 organizations will gather remotely over the next few months to begin the statewide strategic planning work necessary to move the field of environmental education forward in an equitable and inclusive way.
Partners on this project include -
Environmental Education Association of Illinois
Field Museum
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Chicago Wilderness
Douglas Hart Foundation
Forest Preserve District of Will County
This work began in August 2020 with an intensive Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training lead by Cream City Conservation's Founder and Executive Director August Ball. This training will help the group establish a baseline of understanding, common knowledge and historical context in racial justice and equity issues.
The group of organizations then participated in small group interviews and listening sessions with national strategic planning expert Dave Chase to assess the status of environmental education in Illinois. The data collected from this work is now being utilized by a smaller writing committee, made up of individuals from the original group of 50, to begin the work of rewriting the state's environmental literacy plan.
In addition to all of this amazing work, funding through this project has enabled EEAI and the project partners to award 8 mini-grants to organizations around Illinois. Each grant will allow the organization to engage in an intense training workshop on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion with Cream City Conservation and Consulting.
One of the main goals of the EL4IL project is to advance environmental literacy in a more equitable and inclusive way. This goal cannot be accomplished until Illinois environmental education practitioners and organization leaders truly understand what those words mean and the action steps needed to move the field toward those goals.
Each of these organizations assisted the EL4IL project be participating in the activities mentioned above. This participation made them eligible to apply for this specific funding opportunity.
We are honored and excited that these organizations want to work on
improving equity and inclusion in the environmental education field.
Organizations Awarded Equity Training Mini-Grants
Boone County Conservation District
Douglas-Hart Foundation
Anderson Animal Shelter
Plant Chicago
Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association
The Morton Arboretum
Illinois Green Alliance
Chicago Park District
This project is being funded by the Pisces Foundation.
Interested in learning more or receiving updates on the project? Contact Abbie Enlund, EEAI Executive Director at executivedirectoreeai@gmail.com
Partners on this project include -
Environmental Education Association of Illinois
Field Museum
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Chicago Wilderness
Douglas Hart Foundation
Forest Preserve District of Will County
This work began in August 2020 with an intensive Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training lead by Cream City Conservation's Founder and Executive Director August Ball. This training will help the group establish a baseline of understanding, common knowledge and historical context in racial justice and equity issues.
The group of organizations then participated in small group interviews and listening sessions with national strategic planning expert Dave Chase to assess the status of environmental education in Illinois. The data collected from this work is now being utilized by a smaller writing committee, made up of individuals from the original group of 50, to begin the work of rewriting the state's environmental literacy plan.
In addition to all of this amazing work, funding through this project has enabled EEAI and the project partners to award 8 mini-grants to organizations around Illinois. Each grant will allow the organization to engage in an intense training workshop on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion with Cream City Conservation and Consulting.
One of the main goals of the EL4IL project is to advance environmental literacy in a more equitable and inclusive way. This goal cannot be accomplished until Illinois environmental education practitioners and organization leaders truly understand what those words mean and the action steps needed to move the field toward those goals.
Each of these organizations assisted the EL4IL project be participating in the activities mentioned above. This participation made them eligible to apply for this specific funding opportunity.
We are honored and excited that these organizations want to work on
improving equity and inclusion in the environmental education field.
Organizations Awarded Equity Training Mini-Grants
Boone County Conservation District
Douglas-Hart Foundation
Anderson Animal Shelter
Plant Chicago
Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association
The Morton Arboretum
Illinois Green Alliance
Chicago Park District
This project is being funded by the Pisces Foundation.
Interested in learning more or receiving updates on the project? Contact Abbie Enlund, EEAI Executive Director at executivedirectoreeai@gmail.com
2010 Environmental Literacy Plan for IllinoisThe Environmental Literacy for Illinois (EL for IL) strategic plan was originally released in July of 1995. In January of 1998 six of the 10 original committee chairs met in Bloomington to revise and update the plan to reflect upon objectives that had been met, as well as the technological advances achieved in the past few years. The original plan was endorsed by over 200 leaders throughout the state, from agency personnel and nature center staff, to educators and Illinois State Board of Education staff. During Conservation Congress 2000, Environmental Literacy for Illinois won the full support of the congressional body and was unanimously passed for statewide adoption.
In May of 2005, a revision team convened to amend the plan to reflect the accomplishments of the plan’s goals since its conception and modify it for the next five years. The revision was available for review to over 150 environmental educators throughout the state. In October of 2009, the Conservation Congress voted on a number of recommendations to increase youth involvement and interest in outdoor activities. The top recommendation in the Youth Recruitment and Retention subcommittee made by the congress was to update the Environmental Literacy for Illinois strategic plan. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources engaged the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to develop this plan, with input from over 30 organizations. Governor Pat Quinn signed Executive Order 10-7 on April 14, 2010, supporting the adoption of the Environmental Literacy for Illinois strategic plan. |
What is an Environmental Literacy Plan? Environmental literacy plans (ELPs) are state-specific comprehensive frameworks that support school systems in expanding and improving environmental education programs.
ELPs: • Ensure that environmental education activities are aligned with student graduation requirements and help achieve state education goals • Integrate environmental education fully, efficiently, and appropriately into formal education systems • Align teacher professional development opportunities in environmental education with student achievement goals in environmental literacy • Ensure consistency, accuracy, and excellence in environmental content knowledge • Engage underserved communities through an inclusive process so that all stakeholders are beneficiaries of environmental education in schools • Involve non-formal environmental education providers, state natural resource agencies, community organizations, and other partners in environmental education activities in schools • Serve as a necessary component of a comprehensive state environmental education program State Environmental Literacy Plan Resources NAAEE - State Environmental Literacy Plans 2014 Status Report Developing a Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan |
2020 Sponsoring Organizations
The Field Museum
Chicago Wilderness
Mary Rice
Chicago Wilderness
Mary Rice
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Want to be Involved in this Work?
Become a Sponsoring Organization -
As the lead organization on the re-writing of the IL Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan, the Environmental Education Association of Illinois will be working hard to advocate for the full adoption and endorsement of this plan by Illinois educators, governing bodies and the public. To support this effort please consider making a donation to EEAI. Funds donated to EEAI will go directly toward staff time in advocating for the plan and in continued support of the implementation of the literacy plan. Organizations that choose to give a minimum of $250 will be listed on the plan as a Sponsoring Organization. Sponsoring organizations will have their logo or organizational name listed on this website, on the final "home" website for the EL4IL, in the final publication of the EL4IL and in future press releases or promotional materials for the project. In addition, Sponsoring Organizations will be provided the EL4IL logo that they can place on their own websites as a way to advertise their support. Simply click the DONATE button below to get started!
Provide Feedback on the EL4IL -
Following the IL Environmental Education Leadership Summit a small writing committee will be developed to re-write the IL State Environmental Literacy Plan - EL4IL. Once a draft of the new plan is ready it will be sent out to interested partners for feedback, prior to being made available to the public for comment. If you would like to see the first draft of the plan and be involved in providing the first round of feedback please let EEAI know to have your name added to the list. This list will also be provided updates on the project along the way.
Please send inquiries about involvement or to be added to the list to EEAI Executive Director, Abbie Enlund at executivedirectoreeai@gmail.com.
As the lead organization on the re-writing of the IL Statewide Environmental Literacy Plan, the Environmental Education Association of Illinois will be working hard to advocate for the full adoption and endorsement of this plan by Illinois educators, governing bodies and the public. To support this effort please consider making a donation to EEAI. Funds donated to EEAI will go directly toward staff time in advocating for the plan and in continued support of the implementation of the literacy plan. Organizations that choose to give a minimum of $250 will be listed on the plan as a Sponsoring Organization. Sponsoring organizations will have their logo or organizational name listed on this website, on the final "home" website for the EL4IL, in the final publication of the EL4IL and in future press releases or promotional materials for the project. In addition, Sponsoring Organizations will be provided the EL4IL logo that they can place on their own websites as a way to advertise their support. Simply click the DONATE button below to get started!
Provide Feedback on the EL4IL -
Following the IL Environmental Education Leadership Summit a small writing committee will be developed to re-write the IL State Environmental Literacy Plan - EL4IL. Once a draft of the new plan is ready it will be sent out to interested partners for feedback, prior to being made available to the public for comment. If you would like to see the first draft of the plan and be involved in providing the first round of feedback please let EEAI know to have your name added to the list. This list will also be provided updates on the project along the way.
Please send inquiries about involvement or to be added to the list to EEAI Executive Director, Abbie Enlund at executivedirectoreeai@gmail.com.