This time next school year, teachers across the state will be required to learn about climate change — following a climate education bill signed by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Ahead of that, the Illinois Climate Education Hub is launching later this week. It is a platform to help teachers implement the required learning next year, but some teachers are already getting a head start.
“It’s super exciting to really expand climate learning in Illinois,” said Katie Nahrwold of the nonprofit Subject to Climate, state lead for the Illinois Climate Education Hub. “All of the lessons and resources are aligned to Illinois state standards.”
With no state learning program in place, and no money set aside for one, the Illinois Climate Education hub is made possible through a nonprofit — and aims to fill those gaps.
“Currently, there’s not the infrastructure or the funding to help teachers implement those changes,” said Nahrwold.
The education hub will help teachers with lesson plans and learning.
“And they’re Illinois place-based, so they’re things that are happening in Illinois.”
This all comes ahead of the next school year, when Illinois’s first climate change education bill is will require public schools to teach about climate change — identifying and mitigating impacts and evaluating solutions.
“Teachers can feel pretty confident about what they’re going on there and getting,” said Jeff Grant, a teacher at Downers Grove North High School.
Grant just incorporated a climate change lesson into his class on Tuesday.
“The kids are conscientious of it, you know, and we want to provide them with enough data that they can make their own understandings of stuff as they go through life,” Grant said.
Climate Education for Illinois is the organization behind getting the requirement into place in Illinois in the first place.
“We really need to make teachers aware, so that they know this is a resource out there to help their teaching,” said Helen von den Steinen of Climate Education for Illinois. “There’s a climate justice element to it — of making sure that all the kids are informed.”
CBS News Chicago reached out to the Illinois Board of Education. In a statement, a spokesperson further clarified the board is not directly involved in the hub:
“The state does not sanction or approve curriculum. School districts have local control over curriculum. Districts use mandated units of study and the Illinois Learning Standards as guides to make curricular and instructional decisions locally.
“The topic of climate change is already found in the Illinois Learning Standards for Science; thus, instruction already should be taking place. HB 4895 clarified this requirement.
“The bill provided that subject to appropriation, ISBE would develop instructional resources aligned to the standards, as well as professional development for teachers. However, the FY 25 budget did not provide funding for ISBE to do that work. A group of non-profit organizations did come together to create a central space to support teachers and students on climate education, resulting in the IL Climate Education Hub. Note that ISBE does not have a role in the development or maintenance of the hub.”
The ISBE did not immediately respond to follow-up questions.
“We want to turn that climate anxiety into climate action and empower our young people,” said Nahrwold.
The National Center for Science Education spoke highly of the hub.
“The Illinois Climate Education Hub will help to ensure that today’s students are equipped with the knowledge and knowhow they will need to cope with the challenges of tomorrow’s warming world,” National Center for Science Education deputy director Glenn Branch said in a statement.