NOAA EDUCATION POLICY

Effective: 06/27/05; Issued: 07/11//05

SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

This Order establishes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) policy for educating external audiences and prescribes standards, roles and responsibilities, and training requirements necessary to conduct education activities.

SECTION 2. POLICY.

.01 NOAA’s education program will improve the public’s understanding and appreciation of NOAA’s mission and of the natural environment resulting in an educated constituency that can make informed decisions and take appropriate actions.

.02 NOAA’s education activities will be consistent with the NOAA Education Plan.

.03 NOAA’s Education Council will monitor and evaluate NOAA’s education program and provide recommendations regarding its conduct and guidance for its future direction.

.04 Every mission goal identified in the NOAA Strategic Plan will include an education component in its program plan.

.05 Each mission goal will consider the need to improve the public’s understanding of the natural environment through education when developing requirements and resourcing capabilities. In determining requirements to establish an education component, mission goals will consider areas where education:

a. is legislatively mandated;

b. enhances public safety or protection of property;

c. is needed to achieve NOAA’s stewardship responsibilities; and/or

d. highlights NOAA’s unique scientific capabilities.

.06 NOAA programs contributing to mission goal education requirements will consider activities:

a. to promote environmental literacy by increasing understanding and use of NOAA data, information, and programs;

b. to build NOAA’s capability to engage audiences and enable informed decision making; and

c. to increase the number of people, particularly in underrepresented groups, who choose education and careers supporting NOAA’s mission.

SECTION 3. SCOPE.

This Order applies to NOAA education activities. This Order does not apply to outreach activities, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of Public, Constituent and Intergovernmental Affairs.

SECTION 4. DEFINITIONS.

.01 Education: At NOAA, education means a process of engaging external audiences to build knowledge on topics relevant to the world’s atmosphere, climate, oceans, and coastal ecosystems in order to achieve greater environmental literacy, personal safety, and an improved economy. For purposes of this Order, NOAA considers two types of education: formal and informal.

a. Formal education is characterized by learning that takes place within a structured educational system in which children or adults are required to demonstrate proficiency (e.g., through testing and grading, completion of continuing education credits, etc.).

b. Informal education is characterized by learning outside the established formal system and meets clearly defined objectives through organized educational activities. This mode of education may be voluntary, self-directed (e.g., a museum or aquarium exhibit), or systematic and guided (e.g., a field trip).

.02 Evaluation: For NOAA education, evaluation is the systematic analysis of information in order to judge project effectiveness and make informed decisions about future programming.

.03 National and State Science Education Standards: Standards established by the National Academy of Sciences and the state Departments of Education that define what students are expected to know, understand, and be able to do in the natural sciences at specific grade levels of K-12 education.

SECTION 5. STANDARDS.

NOAA’s education activities will exhibit standards of high quality. Education activities will:

a. be based on NOAA sciences and services;

b. include goals and measurable objectives;

c. be aligned with appropriate national or state science education standards;

d. be replicable, consistent in quality, and designed to be sustainable;

e. include an evaluation component; and

f. be managed by NOAA employees who have satisfied the education training requirement prescribed in this Order.

SECTION 6. RESPONSIBILITIES.

.01 The NOAA Education Council and the Office of Education and Sustainable Development are responsible for the following:

a. monitoring NOAA’s education program;

b. developing and implementing the NOAA Education Plan;

c. providing leadership and coordination for education activities across NOAA;

d. establishing education policies and procedures;

e. developing education performance measures and using them to evaluate NOAA’s education program;

f. participating in the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBES) process and providing guidance for the future direction of NOAA’s education program by mission goal;

g. coordinating NOAA’s education efforts at national conferences;

h. designing and implementing education training; and

i. advising senior leadership on NOAA’s education activities.

.02 NOAA Mission Goal Leads are responsible for the following:

a. establishing and maintaining an education component for the goal;

b. identifying education professionals to coordinate the goal education components; and

c. assuring education components meet the vision and goals of the NOAA Education Plan and abide by the standards prescribed in Section 5. of this Order.

.03 NOAA Program Managers of programs with education components are responsible for the following:

a. developing education activities consistent with the education requirements established by the Mission Goals;

b. defining education requirements for goal-wide programs;

c. assuring activities meet the vision and goals of the NOAA Education Plan and abide by the standards prescribed in Section 5. of this Order; and

d. reporting annually on outputs and outcomes of education programs.

.04 The NOAA Councils are responsible for coordinating with the Education Council on issues relating to education and future workforce needs.

.05 Assistant Administrators, Deputy Assistant Administrators, and Staff Office Directors are responsible for the following:

a. assuring all education activities meet the vision and goals of the Education Plan and abide by the standards prescribed in this Order; and

b. providing qualified education professionals to coordinate goal education components and serve on the Education Council.

.06 NOAA employees conducting education activities are responsible for the following:

a. developing activities consistent with the goal requirements; and

b. assuring activities work toward achieving the vision and goals of the Education Plan and abide by the standards prescribed in Section 5. of this Order.

SECTION 7. EDUCATION TRAINING.

To build capacity to conduct education activities in NOAA, education courses shall be developed by the Office of Education and Sustainable Development and the NOAA Education Council. Courses will provide continuous development opportunities for education professionals as well as content required to implement the NOAA education policy (e.g., assessment, project design, or evaluation).

SECTION 8. EFFECT ON OTHER ISSUANCES.

None.

/S/
Under Secretary of Commerce for
Oceans and Atmosphere

Office of Primary Interest:
   Office of Education and Sustainable Development