The Wild Center Celebrates Milestone After Years of Youth and Educator Advocacy

The Wild Center is celebrating a major milestone for climate literacy after the New York State Board of Regents approved a new statewide requirement to integrate climate education across K–12 classrooms. Beginning in the 2027–2028 school year for grades 5–12 and expanding to grades K–4 in 2028–2029, the amendment ensures that students across New York will have the opportunity to learn about the causes, impacts, and solutions to the climate crisis as part of their education.

With the decision, New York becomes only the second state in the nation, following New Jersey, to require comprehensive climate education across all grade levels. The change follows recommendations from the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force (CREFT), a coalition of students, educators, and organizations working to expand access to climate learning throughout the state.

For The Wild Center, the announcement represents the culmination of years of collaboration. Members of the museum’s climate team have been involved with the Task Force since its early formation in 2017, when partners first gathered to explore how climate literacy could become a foundational part of New York’s education system. Since then, Wild Center staff and youth climate leaders have participated in meetings with policymakers, listening sessions with the Board of Regents, and promoted the efforts throughout the New York State Youth Climate Summit Network. Currently, The Wild Center works with 10 active youth climate summit sites across New York State where youth and teachers gather each year to learn the science, impacts and solutions for climate change.

“We are grateful to CREFT’s leadership for championing this critical policy work. Young people across New York have been asking for this kind of education for years,” said Jen Kretser, Director of Climate Initiatives at The Wild Center. “Climate change touches every part of our lives, so learning about it should extend beyond science class and across the entire curriculum. This decision recognizes that students need the knowledge, creativity, and agency to navigate a changing world and help shape solutions to prepare us for a more resilient future. The Wild Center’s Climate Program, launched in 2009, has focused on empowering young people and educators with the knowledge and tools to understand climate change and take meaningful action. Through youth climate summits, educator support, and partnerships across the region and beyond, the organization has championed an interdisciplinary approach to climate learning that connects science with civics, creativity, and community problem-solving.

The Wild Center is a resource in supporting educators as schools prepare to implement the new requirements. On March 13, The Wild Center hosted a professional development workshop for teachers across the Adirondack region and beyond in partnership with Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES, GAIA Scholastic, and regional partners. The workshop focused on classroom strategies, curriculum development, and resources relevant to North Country students, while also highlighting updates to New York State standards and the state’s NY Inspires / Portrait of a Graduate initiative.

The Wild Center plans to continue offering professional development opportunities for educators as schools prepare for the statewide rollout of climate education. Students and educators can find information and resources related to climate education and hosting youth climate summits at wildcenter.org/youthclimate.

“This is a huge win for students, educators, and communities across New York,” Kretser said. “Now the work continues to ensure this requirement is implemented thoughtfully and equitably, with the support teachers need to bring climate learning to life in every classroom.”