colorado is leading the charge by empowering students to not only learn about climate change at school, but take action in their local communities.
How did the seal get started in colorado?
The Seal of Climate Literacy Diploma Endorsement emerged from Lyra’s work in rural education collaboratives (Climatarium Hubs) across the state of Colorado. Through our work in the Climatarium Hubs, we saw deep passion and commitment from high school students to tackle climate change head on.
These students were hungry for more - more opportunities to build knowledge about climate change, more exposure to career pathways that could leverage this knowledge, and more opportunities to lead the fight. Yet these opportunities didn’t always exist, and even when they did, they weren’t accessible to all students.
The need for a state-level approach to engage high school students in climate action emerged. The Seal of Climate Literacy Diploma Endorsement is a direct response to youth demand - it’s a state-level strategy that gives Local Education Providers (LEPs) the opportunity to embed climate literacy and action in their communities. It’s a state-level approach, but not a mandate. Local Education Providers choose to offer the Seal of Climate Literacy to their students. They also have the flexibility to confer it with their own climate literacy standards, project expectations, and more. This ensures that the Seal is not a one-size-fits-all policy, but something that can be tailored to local values and needs.
Colorado is the first state to enact the Seal of Climate Literacy, but it certainly won’t be the last. Other states could pursue a similar initiative - learn more here.
Learn more about how the Seal of Climate Literacy has been implemented in its first year as state law in Colorado below.
Since being signed into law in May of 2024, the Seal of Climate Literacy has been implemented across Local Education Providers (districts, charter networks, and schools) in Colorado, including in rural and urban areas.
In its first year as state law, Lyra supported more than a dozen LEPs with small implementation grants, technical support, and in-kind materials. Preliminary data suggests that 13 Local Education Providers are conferring the Seal of Climate Literacy so far, and an estimated 420 students have been conferred the Seal as of May 2025 (exact numbers will be determined by the Colorado Department of Education in late 2025 - check back for more up-to-date information).
Local Education Providers have implemented the Seal differently across the state, which is to be expected as the legislation is intentionally designed so that LEPs decide what climate literacy standards to use, what courses qualify, and specific expectations for experiential learning projects.
These local education providers are among the first to implement the seal in colorado.
Will your district, network, or school be next?
What People Are Saying
“The Seal sends a message that our students are making an impact and are passionate about being the agents of change. How can we sustain that for students so that they continue to make a difference? If our students can benefit now, why wait?”
— Karen cheser
superintendent of durango public school district 9-R
“The Seal is amazing to put on my resume for college and future work experiences. Pursuing the Seal of Climate Literacy means that you are part of something bigger than yourself and you’re advocating for things that are important to you.”
— ISADORA
STUDENT AT DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
“The Seal of Climate Literacy empowers students to become leaders. It teaches students skills and knowledge so we can advocate for sustainable practices within our communities, which drives positive environmental change, creating a more equal future for everyone.”