The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, initiated by NAAEE in 1993, has developed a series of Guidelines that set the standards for high-quality environmental education. 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.

Through the National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, NAAEE is taking the lead in establishing guidelines for the development of balanced, scientifically accurate, and comprehensive environmental education programs. Quality environmental education programs help develop an environmentally literate citizenry that can compete in our global economy; has the skills, knowledge, and inclinations to make well-informed choices; and exercises the rights and responsibilities of members of a community.

The latest versions of printed materials in the Guidelines for Excellence series are posted on this Web site, and you can download them for free. However, if you want to purchase a bound copy, go to the NAAEE Publications order page. The purchase price covers our printing and mailing costs.

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 materials, and a companion publication, Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence - The Workbook (HTML and PDF versions are available), which leads educators, step by step, through the process of using the Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence.

2. A series of guides to quality environmental education materials: Environmental Education Collection - A Review of Resources for Educators:

• Volume 1
• Volume 2
  
• Volume 3
  
• The Biodiversity Collection (produced by the World Wildlife Fund)

3. Environmental education learner guidelines: Excellence in EE - Guidelines for Learning (Pre K-12), and its companion piece, the Guidelines for Learning (Pre K-12) - Executive Summary & Self Assessment Tool, developed to support state and local environmental education efforts by setting expectations for performance and achievement in grades 4, 8, and 12.

4. Guidelines for the Preparation and Professional Development of Environmental Educators, a set of recommendations for the preparation and continuing education of teachers and other environmental educators.

5. Nonformal Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence, a set of recommendations for the design and implementation of comprehensive nonformal environmental education programs:

6. The Guidelines Trainers' Bureau, environmental educators who are able to give presentations to a variety of audiences on the Guidelines and how they can be used. A set of training materials are available for members of the Guidelines Trainers' Bureau.

7. Adopt the Guidelines, an initiative to encourage organizations and agencies to promote and use the Guidelines.

The National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education is funded by 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, Northern Illinois University, and World Wildlife Fund. For more information, please contact: 

Bora Simmons
National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
2635 Lincoln St.
Eugene, OR 97405

borasimmons at gmail.com