| Association for Environmental & Outdoor education |
AEOE strengthens environmental education in California by connecting providers, building professional expertise, and championing environmental literacy and outdoor learning.
guidelines for excellence in environmental education
About the Guidelines for ExcellenceThe National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education, initiated by NAAEE in 1994, 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. These guides are updated periodically to reflect new research, changing best practices, and an increasing attention to equity and inclusion.
The Guidelines for Excellence Series
Download the individual PDFs (free) or purchase individual bound copies. Note: The full series set is not available, but individual titles may be downloaded or purchased, below. The series includes the following titles:
Community Engagement: Guidelines for Excellence
This set of guidelines focuses on community wellness and is designed to help environmental educators create inclusive environments that support effective partnerships and collaborations.
Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence
LEARN MORE >A set of recommendations to be used in the development of comprehensive early childhood environmental education programs or to inform improvements in existing ones.
Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence
LEARN MORE >A set of recommendations for the design and implementation of comprehensive environmental education programs. Completely revised in 2022.
Environmental Education Materials: Guidelines for Excellence
LEARN MORE >A set of recommendations for developing and selecting environmental education instructional materials. Completely revised in 2021.
K-12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence
LEARN MORE >Developed to support state and local environmental education efforts by setting expectations for performance and achievement in grades 4, 8, and 12, along with its companion piece, the K-12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence Executive Summary. Completely revised in 2019.
K-12 Environmental Education: Guidelines for Excellence Executive Summary
Professional Development of Environmental Educators
LEARN MORE >A set of recommendations for the preparation and continuing education of teachers and other environmental educators. AEOE's Environmental Educator Certification Program uses this set of guidelines as its foundation.
*NEW* Educating for Climate Action and Justice: Guidelines for Excellence
Educating for Climate Action and Justice: Guidelines for Excellence comprises a set of recommendations designed to assist educators in developing and implementing effective programs that focus on climate change, address injustice, and ignite action. With this set of guidelines, we offer suggestions for creating more inclusive and equitable learning environments that support learners as they make informed decisions and take collective actions to address our changing global climate.