MARYLAND — More school districts in the Chesapeake Bay region are offering environmental education programs, that's according to a 2024 survey released by the Chesapeake Bay Program.
The survey, completed by 302 school districts, shows recovery from a drop in environmental programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, 19% of districts said they are “well-prepared” to offer an environmental education system-wide, up from 17% in 2022. Another 57% reported being “somewhat prepared,” while 25% said they were “not prepared.”
Districts also reported increases in Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, which consist of hands-on local environmental learning. System-wide MWEEs were offered by:
- 31% of districts at the elementary level,
- 33% at the middle school level,
- 30% at the high school level.
These numbers jumped by nearly 10 percentage points across all grade levels compared to 2022.
Several states, including Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, saw gains in both environmental literacy planning and MWEE availability.
The Chesapeake Bay Program will open a public comment period on updated education goals starting July 1. Full survey results are available at online.