‘‘(c) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The plan shall include 
each of the following: 
‘‘(1) Relevant content standards, content areas, 
and courses or subjects where instruction will take 
place. 
‘‘(2) A description of the relationship of the 
plan to State graduation requirements. 
‘‘(3) A description of how the State education 
agency will measure the environmental literacy of 
students. 
‘‘(4) A description of programs for professional 
development of teachers to improve their environ-
mental content knowledge, skill in teaching about 
environmental issues, and field-based pedagogical 
skills. 
‘‘(5) A description of how the State education 
agency will implement the plan, including securing 
funding and other necessary support. 
‘‘(d) PLAN UPDATE.—The State plan shall be revised 
or updated by the State education agency and submitted 
to the Secretary at least every 5 years or as appropriate 
to reflect plan modifications. 
‘‘(e) PEER REVIEW AND SECRETARIAL APPROVAL.— 
The Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(1) establish a peer-review process to assist in 
the review of State plans; 
‘‘(2) appoint individuals to the peer-review proc-
ess who are representative of parents, teachers, 
State educational and environmental agencies, local 
educational agencies, and non-governmental organi-
zations, and who are familiar with national environ-
mental issues and the health and educational needs 
of students; 
‘‘(3) approve a State plan within 120 days of 
its submission unless the Secretary determines that 
the plan does not meet the requirements of this sec-
tion; 
‘‘(4) immediately notify the State if the Sec-
retary determines that the State plan does not meet 
the requirements of this Section of such determina-
tion and the reasons for such determination; 
‘‘(5) not decline to approve a State’s plan be-
fore— 
‘‘(A) offering the State an opportunity to 
revise its plan; 
‘‘(B) providing technical assistance in 
order to assist the State to meet the require-
ments of section 5123(c); and 
‘‘(C) providing a hearing; 
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‘‘(6) have the authority to disapprove a State 
plan for not meeting the requirements of this part, 
but shall not have the authority to require a State, 
as a condition of approval of the State plan, to in-
clude in, or delete from, such plan one or more spe-
cific elements of the State’s academic content stand-
ards or to use specific academic assessment instru-
ments or items. 
‘‘(f) STATE REVISIONS.—A State plan shall be re-
vised by the State educational agency if it is necessary 
to satisfy the requirements of this section. 
‘‘(g) REPORTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—2 years after approval of 
its plan and every 2 years thereafter, the chief exec-
utive officer of the State, in cooperation with the 
State educational agency, shall submit to the Sec-
retary a report on the implementation of the State 
plan. 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE.—The report required by 
this subsection shall be— 
‘‘(A) in the form specified by the Sec-
retary; 
‘‘(B) based on the State’s ongoing evalua-
tion activities; and 
‘‘(C) made readily available to the public.’’. 
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TITLE II—ESTABLISHMENT OF 
ENVIRONMENTAL 
EDU-
CATION GRANT PROGRAMS 
SEC. 201. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
Title II of the elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended by title I, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘PART F—ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS 
‘‘SEC. 2601. PURPOSE. 
‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this part is to en-
sure the academic achievement of students in environ-
mental learning by— 
‘‘(1) encouraging institutions of higher edu-
cation to promote the status and stature of the envi-
ronmental education teaching profession by assum-
ing greater responsibility for improving environ-
mental education teacher training through the estab-
lishment of a comprehensive, integrated system of 
recruiting, training, and advising environmental edu-
cation teachers; and 
‘‘(2) encouraging State educational agencies, 
local educational agencies, elementary schools, and 
secondary schools to participate in programs that— 
‘‘(A) improve the environmental content 
knowledge, skills in teaching about environ-
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mental issues, and field-based pedagogical skill 
base of all teachers; 
‘‘(B) focus on the development of teacher’s 
environmental knowledge and teaching skills as 
a career-long process that continuously stimu-
lates teachers’ intellectual growth and upgrades 
teachers’ proficiency in teaching about the envi-
ronment; 
‘‘(C) develop more rigorous environmental 
education teacher training curricula that are 
aligned with challenging State and local aca-
demic content standards; or 
‘‘(D) provide environmental education ex-
periences that utilize outdoor activities and fa-
cilities for students to directly experience na-
ture. 
‘‘SEC. 
2602. 
GRANTS 
FOR 
ENHANCING 
EDUCATION 
THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. 
‘‘(a) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP DEFINED.—In this 
section, the term ‘eligible partnership’ means a partner-
ship that— 
‘‘(1) shall include a local educational agency; 
and 
‘‘(2) may include— 
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‘‘(A) teacher training department of an in-
stitution of higher education; 
‘‘(B) environmental department of an insti-
tution of higher education; 
‘‘(C) another local educational agency, a 
public charter school, a public or private ele-
mentary school or secondary school, or a con-
sortium of such schools; 
‘‘(D) a business; or 
‘‘(E) a nonprofit or for-profit organization 
of demonstrated effectiveness in improving the 
quality of environmental education teachers, 
such as through outdoor environmental edu-
cation experiences. 
‘‘(b) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
‘‘(1) GRANTS TO ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIPS.— 
The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to enable 
the eligible partnerships to carry out the authorized 
activities described in subsection (d). 
‘‘(2) DURATION.—The Secretary shall award 
each grant under this part for a period of 3 years. 
‘‘(3) SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds re-
ceived under this part shall be used to supplement, 
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and not supplant, funds that would otherwise be 
used for activities authorized under this part. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible partnership 
desiring a grant under this part shall submit an ap-
plication, at such time, in such manner, and accom-
panied by such information as the State educational 
agency may require. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted 
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include— 
‘‘(A) the results of a comprehensive assess-
ment of the teacher quality and professional de-
velopment needs, with respect to the teaching 
and learning of environmental content; 
‘‘(B) a description of how the activities to 
be carried out by the eligible partnership— 
‘‘(i) will be aligned with challenging 
State academic content and student aca-
demic achievement standards in environ-
mental education; and 
‘‘(ii) will advance the teaching of 
interdisciplinary courses that integrate the 
study of natural, social, and economic sys-
tems and that include strong field compo-
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nents in which students have the oppor-
tunity to directly experience nature; 
‘‘(C) an explanation of how the activities to 
be carried out by the eligible partnership are 
expected to improve student academic achieve-
ment and strengthen the quality of environ-
mental instruction; 
‘‘(D) a description of how the activities to 
be carried out by the eligible partnership will 
ensure that teachers are trained in the use of 
field-based and service learning to enable the 
teachers to use the local environment and com-
munity as a resource, to enhance student un-
derstanding, the relevance of instruction, and 
academic achievement; 
‘‘(E) a description of— 
‘‘(i) how the eligible partnership will 
carry out the authorized activities de-
scribed in subsection (d); and 
‘‘(ii) the eligible partnership’s evalua-
tion and accountability plan described in 
subsection (f); and 
‘‘(F) a description of how the eligible part-
nership will continue the activities funded under 
this part after the grant period has expired. 
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‘‘(d) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—An eligible partner-
ship shall use the grant funds provided under this part 
for 1 or more of the following activities related to elemen-
tary schools or secondary schools: 
‘‘(1) Creating opportunities for enhanced and 
ongoing environmental education professional devel-
opment of teachers that improves the environmental 
knowledge of such teachers. 
‘‘(2) Promoting skills for teaching about the en-
vironment and environmental issues, including inte-
grating reliable research based research teaching 
methods and technology-based teaching methods into 
the curriculum. 
‘‘(3) Establishing and operating environmental 
education summer workshops or institutes, including 
follow-up training, for elementary school and sec-
ondary school environmental education teachers. 
‘‘(4) Developing or redesigning more rigorous 
environmental education curricula that— 
‘‘(A) are aligned with challenging State 
academic content standards; and 
‘‘(B) advance the teaching of interdiscipli-
nary courses that integrate the study of nat-
ural, social, and economic systems and that in-
clude strong field components. 
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‘‘(5) Establishing environmental education dis-
tance learning programs for teachers using curricula 
that are innovative, content-based, and based on re-
search that is current as of the date of the program 
involved. 
‘‘(6) Designing programs to prepare teachers at 
a school to provide environmental education profes-
sional development to other teachers at the school 
and to assist beginning and other teachers at the 
school, including (if applicable) a mechanism to inte-
grate the teacher’s experiences from a summer work-
shop or institute into the provision of professional 
development and assistance. 
‘‘(7) Establishing and operating programs to 
bring teachers into contact with working profes-
sionals in environmental fields to expand such teach-
ers’ subject matter knowledge of and research in en-
vironmental issues. 
‘‘(8) Designing programs to identify and de-
velop exemplary environmental education teachers in 
the kindergarten through grade 12 classrooms. 
‘‘(9) Training environmental education teachers 
and developing programs to encourage underrep-
resented individuals in environmental careers to pur-
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sue postsecondary degrees in majors leading to such 
careers. 
‘‘(10) Initiatives that seek to incorporate envi-
ronmental education within teacher training pro-
gram accreditation standards. 
‘‘(11) Promoting outdoor environmental edu-
cation activities as part of the regular school cur-
riculum and schedule in order to further the knowl-
edge and development of teachers and students. 
‘‘(e) COORDINATION
AND CONSULTATION.—Grant 
recipients shall coordinate the use of such grant funds 
with any related activities carried out with funds made 
available under this part. 
‘‘(f) EVALUATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each eligible partnership 
receiving a grant under this part shall develop an 
evaluation and accountability plan for activities as-
sisted under this part that includes rigorous objec-
tives that measure the impact of activities funded 
under this part. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The plan developed pursuant 
to paragraph (1) shall include measurable objectives 
to increase the number of teachers who participate 
in environmental education content-based profes-
sional development activities. 
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‘‘(g) REPORT.—Each eligible partnership receiving a 
grant under this part shall report annually to the Sec-
retary regarding the eligible partnership’s progress in 
meeting the objectives described in the accountability plan 
of the eligible partnership under subsection (f). 
‘‘SEC. 2603. AUTHORIZATIONS AND APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this part $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and each of 
the 4 succeeding fiscal years.’’. 
SEC. 202. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM 
TO HELP BUILD NATIONAL CAPACITY. 
Part D of title V (20 U.S.C. 7241 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SUBPART 22—ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT 
PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 5621. PURPOSE. 
‘‘The purposes of this subpart are as follows: 
‘‘(1) To responsibly prepare children to under-
stand and address major challenges facing the 
United States, such as clean energy, climate change, 
environmental health risks, and natural disaster re-
silience. 
‘‘(2) To support systemic education reform by 
strengthening environmental education as an inte-
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gral part of the elementary school and secondary 
school curriculum. 
‘‘(3) To help ensure that all students meet chal-
lenging State academic content and student aca-
demic achievement standards in environmental 
learning. 
‘‘(4) To support the national effort to enable all 
students to demonstrate competence in environ-
mental learning. 
‘‘(5) To leverage and expand private and public 
support for environmental education partnerships at 
national, State, and local levels. 
‘‘(6) To award grants to initiate, expand, or im-
prove environmental education programs for all kin-
dergarten through 12th grade students. 
‘‘(7) To reduce the risk of nature-deficit dis-
order in students by restoring and increasing field 
experiences as part of the regular school curriculum 
and schedule in order to improve students’ overall 
academic performance, self-esteem, personal respon-
sibility, community involvement, personal health (in-
cluding addressing child obesity issues), and under-
standing of nature. 
‘‘SEC. 5622. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to award grants, on a competitive basis, to nonprofit 
organizations, State educational agencies, local edu-
cational agencies, or institutions of higher education 
that have demonstrated expertise and experience in 
the development of the institutional, financial, intel-
lectual, or policy resources needed to help the field 
of environmental education become more effective 
and widely practiced. 
‘‘(2) DURATION.—The Secretary shall award 
each grant under this subpart for a period of not 
less than 1 year and not more than 3 years. 
‘‘SEC. 5623. USE OF FUNDS. 
‘‘Grant funds made available under this subpart shall 
be used for 1 or more of the following: 
‘‘(1) Developing and implementing challenging 
State environmental education academic content 
standards, student academic achievement standards, 
and State curriculum frameworks. 
‘‘(2) Replicating or disseminating information 
about proven and tested model environmental edu-
cation programs that— 
‘‘(A) use the environment as an integrating 
theme or content throughout the curriculum; or 
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‘‘(B) provide integrated, interdisciplinary 
instruction about natural, social, and economic 
systems along with field experience that pro-
vides students with opportunities to directly ex-
perience nature in ways designed to improve 
overall academic performance, self-esteem, per-
sonal responsibility, community involvement, 
personal health (including addressing child obe-
sity issues), or their understanding of nature. 
‘‘(3) Developing and implementing new policy 
approaches to advancing environmental education at 
the State and national level. 
‘‘(4) Conducting studies of national significance 
that— 
‘‘(A) provide a comprehensive, systematic, 
and formal assessment of the State of environ-
mental education practice in the United States; 
‘‘(B) evaluate the effectiveness of teaching 
environmental education as a separate subject, 
and as an integrating concept or theme; or 
‘‘(C) evaluate the effectiveness of using en-
vironmental education in helping students im-
prove their assessment scores in mathematics, 
reading or language arts, and the other core 
academic subjects. 
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‘‘(5) Executing projects that advance wide-
spread State and local educational agency adoption 
and use of environmental education content stand-
ards, including adoption and use of such standards 
in textbook selection criteria. 
‘‘(6) Planning and initiating new State or na-
tional sources of environmental education funding, 
such as— 
‘‘(A) environmental education trust funds; 
and 
‘‘(B) permanent funds with dedicated 
funding sources. 
‘‘(7) Developing a State Environmental Lit-
eracy Plan. 
‘‘(8) Planning State initiatives to develop and 
promote forums for exchange of information relating 
to Environmental Education. 
‘‘SEC. 5624. APPLICATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each nonprofit organization, 
State educational agency, local educational agency, or in-
stitution of higher education desiring a grant under this 
subpart shall submit to the Secretary an application that 
contains a plan to initiate, expand, or improve environ-
mental education programs in order to make progress to-
ward meeting State standards for environmental learning 
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and contains an evaluation and accountability plan for ac-
tivities assisted under this part that includes rigorous ob-
jectives that measure the impact of activities funded under 
this part. 
‘‘SEC. 5625. REQUIREMENTS. 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL REPORT
TO
THE SECRETARY.—In 
order to continue receiving grant funds under this subpart 
after the first year of a multiyear grant under this sub-
part, the administrator of the grant shall submit to the 
Secretary an annual report that— 
‘‘(1) describes the activities assisted under this 
subpart that were conducted during the preceding 
year; and 
‘‘(2) demonstrates that progress has been made 
in helping schools to meet State standards for envi-
ronmental education and in accomplishing one or 
more of the purposes set forth in section 5621 for 
the Environmental Education Grant Program, and 
‘‘(3) describes the results of the grantee’s eval-
uation and accountability plan. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Not more than 
15 percent of the grant funds made available to a non-
profit organization, State educational agency, local edu-
cational agency, or institution of higher education under 
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