Louisiana Collective Impact Initiative
for Environmental Education

INITIATIVE OVERVIEW

The Louisiana Collective Impact Initiative for Environmental Education aims to establish a collective of goal-aligned formal and non-formal educational entities to shape and implement a system of interventions that will increase the quality and quantity of  environmental education for Louisiana public school students. 

During Phase 1 (November 2023 - June 2024), the Steering Committee will review recent and relevant literature and leverage the range of  expertise and experience in the room to dissect and further develop the following problem statement: 

Louisiana public school students do not have adequate access to robust environmental education that prepares them to tackle the complex, socio-ecological environmental issues that are shaping—and will continue to shape—their lives. 

Over the course of this initiative, steering committee members will explore and discuss the causes of this problem and identify strategies and tactics for change. These causes and contributing factors include, but are not limited to: 

• A lack of alignment between formal and non-formal learning entities and practitioners

• A lack of locally relevant environmental education curriculum

• Inconsistent environmental education opportunities throughout students’ K-12 experiences

• A disconnect between environmental education learning outcomes and state-prioritized and incentivized evaluation metrics (such as standardized test results)

This intiative is a  collaborative effort of its backbone organization, Ripple Effect Water Literacy Project, in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Education, and Louisiana Sea Grant.

TIMELINE

PHASE 1

• [November 13] Initial meeting of the steering committee

• [December 1 – January 30, 2024] Steering committee defines problems and develops frameworks, decision-making processes, and topical interest areas for working groups

• [Spring 2024] Form independent working groups that address specific topics relevant to the project with technical and organizational assistance from Ripple Effect

• [May 2024] Synthesize working group activities and draft language that articulates the problem, collective vision, and theory of change

• [June 21, 2024] Concluding in-person convening; drafting and dissemination of findings

STEERING COMMITTEE RESOURCES

• Role & Responsibilities

• Shared Google Folder (Materials & Meeting Notes)

• Common Agenda (Working Draft)

• Claim Packet for Working Groups

CONVENING

Invitations to attend the convening will be extended mid-May, 2024

Nominations/recommendations for attendees can submitted here.