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Education for Sustainability in the K-12 Educational System of the United States

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Book cover Schooling for Sustainable Development in Canada and the United States

Part of the book series: Schooling for Sustainable Development ((SSDE,volume 4))

Abstract

This chapter describes the evolution and current status of education for sustainability (EfS) in the K-12 school system of the United States. We briefly review the major educational and political movements that set the stage for contemporary EfS in the United States. In particular, we describe how the guiding concept of sustainability vanished and reemerged from discussions about education in the early years of the twenty-first century. We outline the national and state policy landscape and discuss the unusual role of educational nonprofits in shaping policy. Then, drawing on the available research literature and on illustrative examples from educational practice, we discuss the nascent strengths and formidable challenges facing EfS in US public schools. Throughout the chapter, we focus particular attention on the contribution of environmental education to EfS.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Charter schools are public primary or secondary schools, which are not subject to all of the rules and regulations that apply to other public schools. Charter schools are accountable for producing results set forth in each school’s charter. Charter schools have open enrolment and are attended by choice. Charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition. State-level legislation allows or disallows establishing charter schools.

  2. 2.

    Most studies relied on post-only comparisons between intact groups and inadequately established the comparability of comparison groups.

  3. 3.

    EBE is also referred to as EIC: Environment as an Integrating ContextTM.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    Noah Weeth Feinstein

  2. College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, USA

    Ginny Carlton

Authors
  1. Noah Weeth Feinstein
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  2. Ginny Carlton
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Correspondence to Noah Weeth Feinstein .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hendrix Dr. 113, Oak Ridge, 37830, Tennessee, USA

    Rosalyn McKeown

  2. Linden Road 520, Bellingham, 98225, Washington, USA

    Victor Nolet

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Feinstein, N.W., Carlton, G. (2013). Education for Sustainability in the K-12 Educational System of the United States. In: McKeown, R., Nolet, V. (eds) Schooling for Sustainable Development in Canada and the United States. Schooling for Sustainable Development, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4273-4_3

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