Guidelines for Excellence

The Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education has adopted the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education as standards for high-quality environmental education and a guide towards best practices.

The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education was initiated by the North American Association for Environmental Education in 1993. Each of these publications was developed by a diverse team of professionals, and each has gone through a substantive review by thousands of professionals prior to its publication.

CAEE offers trainings on the Guidelines for Excellence and other ways to improve your EE practice throughout the year.

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Are you interested in learning more about the foundations and history of EE?  Visit eeLearn and participate in a short, self guided course developed by the North American Association for Environmental Education!

The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education resources consist of the following:

  1. Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence, a set of recommendations for developing and selecting environmental education instructional materials.
  2. Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning (K-12),and its companion piece, the Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning (K-12) - Executive Summary, developed to support state and local environmental education efforts by setting expectations for performance and achievement in grades 4, 8, and 12.
  3. Guidelines for the Professional Development of Environmental Educators, a set of recommendations for the preparation and continuing education of teachers and other environmental educators.
  4. Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, a set of recommendations for the design and implementation of comprehensive nonformal environmental education programs.
  5. Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, a set of recommendations to be used in the development of comprehensive early childhood environmental education programs or to trigger improvements in existing ones.
  6. Community Engagement:  Guidelines for Excellence, a set of guidelines focused on community wellness and designed to help environmental educators create inclusive environments that support effective partnerships and collaborations.

Attend a Train-the-Trainer workshop to become a member of the Guidelines Trainers' Bureau, environmental educators who are able to train staff, volunteers, and a variety of audiences on the Guidelines and how they can be used. Find a Train-the-Trainer workshop or learn more about becoming a trainer. Current Guidelines Trainers' Bureau members in Colorado include:

  • Stephanie Dobbie, Cal-Wood Education Center, Jamestown
  • Sarah Johnson, Wild Rose Consulting, Carbondale
  • Ellen Olson, Travellen Consulting, Arvada
  • Katie Phillips, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park
  • Donny Roush, Denver Public Works, Denver

For more information please contact Lisa Eadens at [email protected] or 303-273-9527.

The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education has received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP) and the U.S. Forest Service, plus the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, University of Oregon, Northern Illinois University, and World Wildlife Fund.