PEI delivers high-quality professional development and consultation services for educators in equitable, locally relevant, career connected, outdoor STEM education.

PEI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working statewide to achieve systemic change in Washington State by helping educators embed our FieldSTEM® Model in their classrooms, schools, and districts so their students develop into scientifically literate citizens, equipped to make balanced decisions for sustainable communities.

As a Washington-State-approved clock hour provider, all of our workshops meet the standards and definition of “professional learning” adopted by the Washington Legislature: a comprehensive, sustained, job-embedded and collaborative approach to improving teachers’ and principals’ effectiveness in raising student achievement. Their professional learning opportunities help formal teachers earn continuing education so they can renew their teaching certificates and support both formal and nonformal educators in advancing their careers and providing effective, community-connected, field-based STEM education for their students.

Supporting Equitable and Engaging Science Learning

Made possible through the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI) ClimeTime initiative, IslandWood’s free professional development courses allow teachers to fulfill their STEM Clock Hour requirements while gaining culturally responsive, ready-to-use strategies to deepen students’ climate literacy, inspire environmental stewardship, and connect science learning to students’ lives and identities. We hope to join K – 8th grade teachers in addressing the vast racial, economic, and environmental disparities in our communities and classrooms to create a world where every student is able to thrive.

Educators for Environment, Equity, and Economy

E3 Washington is the Washington State affiliate of the North American Association of Environmental Educators (NAAEE) and a member of their Leadership 360 team. As an affiliate, E3 serves Washington state as a professional association for environment and sustainability educators offering legislative advocacy, best practice and professional development opportunities, networking, and other supportive roles to increase the capacity and effectiveness of all environment and sustainability education (ESE) organizations in the state.

OSPI's goal for environmental and sustainability education is to support academic success and life-long learning and to develop a responsible citizenry capable of applying knowledge of ecological, economic, and socio-cultural systems to meet current and future needs. Environmental education is a mandatory area of study in Washington, required by WAC 392-410-115(link is external).

The Washington State 2013 K-12 Science Learning Standards (WSSLS) are the Next Generation Science Standards. These standards describe what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. New assessments are being developed based on these standards and will be administered in spring 2018.

The Washington State Legislature confirmed its commitment to climate science teacher training by allocating $6M for the 2022–23 biennium, in addition to the $10M allocated in 2018. Now named ClimeTime, this initiative provides grants to professional learning partners who train science teachers to use the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), specifically the climate science learning standards (Senate Bill 5092, Section 522). Funding flows through all nine educational service districts (ESDs), tribal schools, and community-based nonprofit organizations (CBOs), and community-based nonprofit tribal education organizations (CBTEOs).