(a) As part of the unified education strategy specified in subdivision (c) of Section 71300, the office, in cooperation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Natural Resources Agency, the State Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, shall develop environmental principles and concepts for elementary and secondary school pupils.

(b) (1) The environmental principles and concepts may be updated every four years beginning July 1, 2008, by the office, in cooperation with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the State Board of Education, the California Environmental Protection Agency, and the Natural Resources Agency, pursuant to the process set forth in paragraphs (2) and (3).

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

(2) When updating or amending the environmental principles and concepts, the office shall ensure that the environmental principles and concepts are based on current scientific and technical knowledge, and shall solicit and coordinate input from the State Board of Education, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and other executive branch agencies and departments, nongovernmental science and education consultants and organizations with the relevant scientific and technical knowledge, and currently employed, credentialed, public school classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment. A majority of the individuals consulted to review proposed updates or amendments to the environmental principles and concepts shall be credentialed, current public school elementary or secondary classroom teachers with experience in education related to the environment.

(3) When updating the environmental principles and concepts, the office shall hold a minimum of two public meetings in order for the public to provide input on the modifications. The public meetings required by this subdivision shall be held pursuant to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(c) The environmental principles and concepts shall be aligned to the academic content standards adopted by the State Board of Education in the subjects of English language arts, science, history-social science, health, and, to the extent practicable, mathematics, and shall not conflict with any academic content standards. The environmental principles and concepts shall be used to do all of the following:

(1) To direct state agencies that include environmental education components for elementary and secondary education in regulatory decisions or enforcement actions.

(2) To align state agency environmental education programs and materials that are developed for elementary and secondary education.

(3) For provision, by the office, of technical assistance to state agencies involved in the integration of the environmental principles and concepts in programs they operate, and in the integration of the environmental principles and concepts into state curriculum standards, frameworks, and instructional materials pursuant to § 51227.3 of the Education Code.

(d) The environmental principles and concepts shall include, but not be limited to, concepts relating to the following topics:

(1) Air.

(2) Climate change.

(3) Energy.

(4) Environmental justice.

(5) Environmental sustainability.

(6) Fish and wildlife resources.

(7) Forestry.

(8) Integrated pest management.

(9) Oceans.

(10) Pollution prevention.

(11) Public health and the environment.

(12) Resource conservation, waste reduction, and recycling.

(13) Toxics and hazardous waste.

(14) Water.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 374, Sec. 5. (SB 720) Effective January 1, 2019.)