Climate Science and Policy

Grant funding provided by California’s Golden State Pathways Program provides the opportunity for public schools across California to implement a new career technical education pathway titled STEM Climate Resilience. This career technical education (CTE) pathway project outlines a structured program of study that integrates academic and technical coursework, industry-aligned curriculum, and career-focused skills. The transition to a green economy demands more experts than we currently have. CTE pathways in climate resilience and similar sectors are attempting to fill that gap by providing high school students with the knowledge and experience required to pursue college education in climate or to join the green workforce in a technical field. In K-12 STEM education, climate resilience is a concept that is relatively new and not yet well defined, resulting in schools and local educational agencies struggling to determine what knowledge and skills students in the pathway need to develop. This is where a micro-credential becomes essential. Rather than providing educators with a curriculum to follow word for word, a climate resilience micro-credential will equip educators with base knowledge of the physical science behind climate change, what mitigation and adaptation strategies are emerging, and what regional career opportunities are most promising in STEM fields related to climate resilience. This project outlines The Foundations Framework, an organizing principle for designing and implementing micro‑credential programs to prepare educators for STEM climate resilience instruction.