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Setting a statewide standard for exemplary environmental education practice
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Benefits of Certification | How Much Does It Cost? | How to Get Started |
Good for the field of Environmental Education: Certification addresses the knowledge, skills, and ethical standards required to work as a professional in the EE field and builds the field’s credibility. Good for you, the environmental educator: Certification
provides robust professional development opportunities resulting in
more effective professional practice. Its focus on both theory and
practice leads towards greater mastery. Due to this program’s
multi-faceted nature, networking opportunities abound. Certification Candidate Manual Learn the details of the Certification Program. Read the Environmental Education Certification Manual to learn about the program requirements.
| The Breakdown: Registration and Enrollment: $50 Required workshop/course attendance:
Program Completion Fee (end of certification): $50 __________________________________________ TOTAL required fees: $410 Good to Know: Other expenses will likely be incurred over the course of the multi-year certification process in order to meet self-guided learning requirements including training/workshop/conference fees, travel, and lodging. Each candidate will determine how they will meet their own self-guided learning goals. If you began the Certification Program in 2019 or in January 2022, you will follow the original pricing structure. Contact the Certification Administrator with any questions. If certification fees are a barrier to participation, please contact the Certification Administrator to inquire about scholarship options.
Recertification Keep your certification credential current! Recertify within three years. $50 fee The recertification process is currently under review. | Begin planning your approach to the certification program now. Learn about the Program:
Consider your Schedule:
Important Dates Start planning your first year in the certification program now. Check out our registration, workshop, and course dates.
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Thanks to support from the Virginia Environmental Endowment, those who require financial assistance for travel/lodging when attending Certification workshops may contact the 
EE Certification Completion Timeline |
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Overview of Certification Requirements Criteria 1 – The Basics of Environmental Education online learning module (20 hours) Criteria 2: In-Person Learning three total workshop days (18-24 hours) 2.1 Attend “Professional Development of Environmental Educators” Workshop – one day 2.2 Attend “Methods of Environmental Education” Workshop – two days Criteria 3: Self-Directed Learning (75 hours) 3.1 Individually Chosen Learning Opportunities (minimum 30 hours) 3.2 Exploration of Virginia’s Regions (minimum 30 hours) 3.3 Required Further Learning (minimum 15 hours) Criteria 4: Lesson Planning and Teaching (40 hours) Criteria 5: Environmental Literacy online course (24+ hours) Criteria 6: Capstone Project (minimum 20 hours) | FAQs How does the VAEE Annual Conference relate to the Certification Program? If you have registered for the Certification Program, you can earn a full credit hour per 50-minute conference session towards Criteria 3. Once you have registered, watch your email inbox for more details on attending conference sessions as part of Criteria 3. I want to start the program, but I have already completed the previously released Criteria 1 (2019). Do I have to do it again? Criteria 1 has seen minimal changes, and you can submit the work that you have already completed as soon as you have access to Canvas. Please note that some new assignments may have been added to Criteria 1, and they will be most useful, so be sure to look for those and complete those as well. Every candidate in the program will be required to complete the entirety of Criteria 1. I enrolled in the certification program in 2019. What can I expect? Any candidate who was previously enrolled and wishes to continue in this certification program must register to join. Registration is free to those who were previously enrolled. Candidates who paid to enroll in the certification program in 2019 are permitted to submit Criteria 1, 3, and 4 work that was completed as early as one year prior to their original enrollment date. This is an exception for the 2019 cohort. Also, candidates who completed the “Professional Development of Environmental Educators” workshop will be able to check that off of their accomplishments. Likewise, if those same candidates subsequently took the “Methods of Environmental Education” workshop, you have also received credit for that part of Criteria 2. Contact the Certification Administrator to learn your status. Candidates who paid their initial application fee in 2019 will not be required to pay another application fee. |
Acknowledgements:
This program is made possible, in part, by the Virginia Environmental Endowment. The VAEE would like to extend its heart-felt thanks to the volunteers who serve on the Certification Advisory Board (CAB) for their dedication to carrying the dream of a Virginia EE Certification program forward. Certification program development was begun by the Virginia Office of Environmental Education, but when it was closed in 2016, the VAEE chose to continue this work. A couple of intrepid volunteers kept the process going, and soon the CAB was formed and started on the path to making Virginia EE Certification a reality. Documents: |
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Virginia Association for Environmental Education
10221 Krause Road
P.O. Box #2193
Chesterfield, VA 23832