DOCUMENT RESUME EL 355 105 SE 053 360 TITLE E.E.C. 2000: A Study of Environmental Education Centers. Part I and Parts II & III. INSTITUTION Minnesota State Dept. of Natural Resources, St. Paul. PUB DATE Jan 92 NOTE ..:68p.; Parts II and III are together bound in a separate volume. PUB TYPE Tests /Evaluation Instruments (160) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC11 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Definitions; Educational `_ac ".:ies; *Educational Legislation; Educational -gies; Elementary Secondary Education; *Environmental Education; *Facilities; *Long Range Planning; *Program Development; Research; State Legislation; State Surveys; Surveys; Tables (Data) IDENTIFIERS *Environmental Education Centers; Focus Group Assessment; Minnesota ABSTRACT This report of Environmental Education Centers (EECs) presents recommendations development of long range plans for the development and program coordination of EECs in Minnesota. The plan focuses on identifying programming needs, geographic areas to locate facilities, and capital costs for development and creation of a phased-in implementation plan. The report is divided into three parts that give detailed information about the process and recommendations from the project committee. Part 1 "Committee Discussion of Facility Type, Recommendations & Rationale" provides an interpretation of EEC types, six recommendations and rationale for legislative support for these facilities. The recommendations include:(1) state support for the development of an adequate number of EECs to serve all Minnesota citizens;(2) access to EECs as part of formal education for all students;(3) allocation of formal education program funding; (4) state funding for capital development and improvement of EEC facilities;(5) a grant program for EECs; and (6) a state maintained directory of EECs. Part 2 presents a summary of part 3 "Supporting Information." Part 3 provides a discussion of the data gathering process, analysis of environmental education surveys in Minnesota, facility focus group results, EEC inventory data, and private foundation funding. Appendixes to the various sections include: survey instruments, lists of focus group participants, census form of EECs in Minnesota, lists of EEC survey respondents, and EEC technical advisory committee and state agency participants. (MCO) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTERS As required by 1990 Laws of Minnesota; Chapter 610, Section 20, Article 1,Subdivision 7: "The commissioner in cooperation with other affected agencies and residential andnonresidential learning center directors shall develop a long-range plan for the developmentand program coordination of environmental learning centers statewide. The plan must focus on identifying programmingneeds, geographic areas to locate facilities, capital cost estimates for development and creation of aphased-in implementation strategy. The plan must be completed for presentation to the Legislature by January 1, 1992." Part I Parts II & III Prepared by: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Office of Planning, under the guidance of the MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY OXThis document has been reproduced as Bradley M. Moore received (tom the person or organization Environmental Education Committee originating a 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality January 1992 Points of new or opinions stated in this docu. ment do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) "Funding for this project approved by the Minnesota Legislature (LCMR Contingency Account, F.Y. 1991; M.L. 1991 Chapter 254, Sec. 14, Subd. 5(a) as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources fromthe Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund)." BEST COPY AVAILABLE E.E.C. 2000: A STUDY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTERS Part I Prepared by: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Office of Planning, under the guidance of the Environmental Education Committee January 1992 "Funding for this project approved by the Minnesota Legislature (LCMR Contingency Account, F.Y. 1991; M.L. 1991 Chapter 254, Sec. 14, Subd. 5(a) as recommended by the Legislative Commission m Minnesota Resources from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund)." ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER STUDY Prepared by: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Office of Planning, under the guidance of the Environmental Education Committee January 1992 1. A Note to the Reader ii. Committee Members' Ratification of Recommendations iii.Executive Summary Part I. Committee Discussion of Facility Type, Recommendations & Rationale I. Background II. Discussion of Facility Type, Mission, and Markets III. Recommendations IV. Capital Development & Improvement Rationale & Recommendation Details Part II. Summary of Supporting Information' Part III. Supporting Information' Section A.Discussion of Data Gathering Process Section B.Analysis of Surveys of Environmental Education in Minnesota:Residents,Teachers and Administrators Section C.Facility Focus Group Results Section D.Environmental Education Center Inventory Data Section E.Private Foundation Funding 'Note: Parts II & III of the study are contained in a separate bound volume. (.1 A Note to the Reader: For the purposes of this study, all facilities which offer environmental education services are called 'environmental education centers'. This study does not use the term 'environmental learning center' generically. Since some residential facilities are called 'environmental learning centers' the use of that term may confuse the reader when the discussion, for example, actually refers to a day-use center or other non- residential educational facility. The committee responsible for this study's recommendations defines an Environmental Education Center as: Anyfaeility other than_public or private schools, that offers proresswnai field-based-environmental instruction, either full or part-tim,e including both residential and day:use facilities. The instruction offered is designed to increase ;,:derstanding of ecological systems and of the complex interrelationships between people and nature. Environmental education centers provide experiences to assist citizens to increase their sensitivity and stewardship for the environment. Residential learning centers, nature centers, parks, zoos, camps, museums, and other specialty environmental educational facilities are included within the definition above. Environmental Education Center Study Committee Members' Ratification of Study Recommendations We the undersigned members of the Environmental Education Center Study Committee, do hereby ratify the foregoing report and recommendations as representing our best effort to address the mandates as expressed by the Minnesota Legislature in M.S. 1990 Chapter 610, Section 20, Article 1, Subdivision 7: g. Mary Pat Hamilton Science Museum of Minnesota Science Museum of Minnesota Steve Rage Jack Pichotta Minnesota Zoo Wolf Ridge ELC Eileen Kilpatrick. Minneapolis Pain Board I Lee Ann Landatrom gar. ilderer Eastman Nature Center e Conservation Center Mike Link Siah St. Clair Northwood, Audubon Center Springbrook Nature Center )etx"112,P7*-air a227/z4. --- Kurt Marple Kathleen Wallace Camp Courage ELC Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation "91 Greg Munidn Quarry Hill Nab re Center Environmental Education Center Study Executive Summary Part I. Committee Discussion of Facility Type, Recommendations & Ration ale This portion of the study provides the committee's interpretation of environmental education center types and recommendations for legislative support for these facilities which is needed to provide quality environmental education in Minnesota. For the purposes of the study and recommendations, committee members placed environmental education centers into three major categories: 1) Day Use Centers (Nature Centers & Parks); 2) Museums, Zoos, & Special Emphasis Facilities; and, 3) Residential Facilities (Environmental Learning Centers & Camps). The general missions of these facility types, as well as their major markets,are discussed in Part I as well. Committee members developed and agreed on six recommendations for legislative consideration: 1) The state should support the development ofan adequate number of environmental education centers to serve all Minnesota citizens. 2) All students should have access to an environmental education center as a part of their formal education. 3) The state should allocate $12 per student peryear for environmental education ceLter experiences from the current state school aid formula to schools. 4) The state should provide funding for phased-in capital development and improvement of environmental education facilities. (Request totals 83.76 million dollars phased in over four biennia- see Part I, page 11). 5) The state should establish a biennial $4 million programming grant program for environmental education centers. 6) The Department of Education should compile and maintain a directory of environmental education centers and distribute it to schools and other interested parties across the state. Part I of the study provides details and