Wisconsin's Plan to Advance Education for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability in PK-12 Schools (the Plan) provides a road map for statewide strategic collaboration to ensure all students graduate from high school with the critical thinking and problem solving skills they will need to be successful in our changing world and with the preparation to be ready for college and careers in the 21st century. The Plan outlines a comprehensive strategy to provide teachers and students in Wisconsin with opportunities to connect with nature and advance the health of our youth through strong interdisciplinary curricular connections that focus on education for environmental literacy and sustainability. 

The Plan is meant to engage many agencies and organizations in working toward common goals that advance education for environmental literacy and sustainability through supporting Wisconsin's educational institutions. The Plan recommends strategies that are intended to be pursued over time. Ultimately, the success of the Plan depends on the support and participation of a broad range of collaborators throughout the state. 

The goals of the Plan are aligned with the proposed federal No Child Left Inside Legislation: 

1. Prepare students to understand, analyze, and address the major environmental and sustainability challenges facing Wisconsin, the United States, and the planet;
2. Provide field experiences as part of the regular school curriculum and create programs that contribute to healthy lifestyles through outdoor recreation and sound nutrition; and
3. Create opportunities for enhanced preparation and ongoing professional development for teachers and school leaders by improving environmental and sustainability subject matter knowledge and pedagogical skills in teaching about environmental and sustainability issues, including the use of interdisciplinary, field-based, and research-based learning, effective assessment practices, and innovative technology in the classroom. 

The Plan will be coordinated with and supported by two additional statewide efforts to advance the implementation of the outlined goals and integration of sustainability:

• Wisconsin's Plan for Environmentally Literate and Sustainable Communities considers educational needs for environmentally literate communities and supports sustainable practices at home, work, school, and play. This plan addresses the needs of all audiences in Wisconsin and supports this Plan for the PK-12 audience.
• Cultivating Education for Sustainability in Wisconsin started in 2010 as a statewide process to cultivate a shared vision of education for sustainability (EfS). The process will lead to the development of resources and services to implement EfS in schools and address goals outlined in the Plan. 

The Plan was developed by the Wisconsin No Child Left Inside Coalition steering committee and working group members and coordinated through a partnership between the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and the Wisconsin Environmental Education Foundation.