Chesapeake Bay Watershed Environmental Literacy Indicator Tool

This request is for extension of a currently approved information collection. The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement of 2014 required monitoring of progress toward the environmental literacy goal: “Enable students in the region to graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to act responsibly to protect and restore their local watersheds.” NOAA, on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Program, will ask the state education agencies for Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to survey their local education agencies (LEAs) to determine their progress in meeting the Student and Environmental Literacy Planning Outcomes of the Agreement. One individual from each LEA is asked to complete their survey once every two years. The results of the biennial ELIT survey will be analyzed and reported to the internal stakeholders of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Participating states will receive a summarized report of findings for the full watershed, a summary of findings for their state, and comparisons of results between states. These aggregated results will be used by the state agencies to understand progress of their school districts over time, and to inform decision-making about strategies and priorities for future work with school districts. Additionally, NOAA will use this information to inform priorities within their B-WET funding opportunities and technical assistance. The biennial reporting will also be used by the Chesapeake Bay Program to understand progress of school districts in the watershed, understand differences between jurisdictions, and guide strategy for providing targeted support in each state. The instrument has not undergone any changes since its last PRA approval process.

The latest form for Chesapeake Bay Watershed Environmental Literacy Indicator Tool expires 2029-02-28 and is listed under ICR 202302-0648-001.