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Preparing Climate-Ready Graduates for Maine’s Future
A voluntary statewide high school diploma endorsement recognizing climate-ready graduates and strengthening Maine’s education, workforce, and community resilience.
What is the Seal?
The State of Maine Seal of Climate Literacy is a voluntary high school diploma and transcript endorsement that recognizes Maine students who demonstrate strong climate knowledge, systems thinking, and applied problem-solving skills. Students would earn the Seal through interdisciplinary coursework—including content grounded in traditional ecological knowledge—and a real-world, community-connected project.
The Seal builds on the climate, sustainability, and place-based learning already happening across Maine schools, while offering a consistent, statewide signal of readiness for college, careers, and civic leadership in a changing climate.
HOW IT WORKS IN MAINE
In Maine, the Seal of Climate Literacy has been approved as a policy initiative initiated by the Office of Innovation at the Maine Department of Education. It is launching as a pilot during Spring 2026 during the 2026–2027 school year.
School Administrative Units (SAUs) can opt in to conferring the Seal and define specific coursework and project criteria within a shared statewide framework. Students earn the Seal by completing two qualifying high school courses—at least one integrating traditional ecological knowledge—and an experiential project that is publicly communicated. This approach ensures local control while maintaining consistency across districts.
WHO IT’s FOR
Elevate place-based and climate learning already happening in your classrooms and help shape a statewide approach that supports local innovation and cultural responsiveness.
❋ EDUCATORS & SCHOOLS
Pursue a Seal that recognizes your learning, leadership, and climate action statewide—and prepares you for college, careers, and community leadership.
❋ STUDENTS
Advance a voluntary, equity-centered policy that strengthens education outcomes, workforce readiness, and Maine’s climate and economic goals.
❋ POLICY LEADERS
Support a policy that builds a climate-literate workforce aligned with Maine’s clean energy, conservation, construction, and resilience economy.
❋ INDUSTRY & EMPLOYERS
Maine students are growing up amid intensifying climate impacts—from sea level rise and coastal erosion to intensifying storms, drought, wildfire risk, and heat impacts that affect water systems, housing, food security, and cultural resources.
At the same time, Maine is investing in a clean energy transition, climate-resilient infrastructure, conservation, sustainable tourism, and local food systems. Climate literacy is essential to preparing students to participate in these sectors and contribute to resilient communities statewide.
The Seal of Climate Literacy would help align Maine’s education system with these investments, supporting students to graduate prepared to participate in—and lead—the state’s climate-resilient future. Built on the foundation of Colorado’s established program, Maine’s Seal is the next step in a place-based approach to climate education.
Preparing students for MAINE’S climate economy
Part of a national movement
Maine is the second state in a growing national effort to recognize climate literacy as a core educational outcome—preparing students for climate-related careers, civic leadership, and community resilience.
MAINE PARTNERMAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
The Maine Department of Education supports schools and educators across the state in preparing students for civic life, careers, and environmental stewardship. Through initiatives like the Maine Environmental & Climate Literacy Plan, the department helps integrate climate literacy and sustainability into Maine classrooms.
Learn more at: https://www.maine.gov/doe
MAINE PARTNERMAINE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
The Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) is a statewide nonprofit that advances environmental and climate education by supporting educators, empowering youth leadership, and advocating for strong environmental learning policies.
Learn more at: https://www.meeassociation.org
NATIONAL PARTNERLYRA
Originators of the Seal of Climate Literacy and architects of its passage in Colorado. Lyra supports state implementation, resource development, and national strategy—grounded in local context and centered on rural and under-resourced communities.
Learn more at: https://www.lyracolorado.org/
NATIONAL PARTNERUndauntedK12
A national climate policy and advocacy leader in K-12 education. UndauntedK12 advances the Seal across new states by aligning policy expertise, youth voice, and movement-building strategy.
Learn more at: https://www.undauntedk12.org/
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Help shape the future of climate education in Maine.
Contact the State TeamTeddy Lyman | Seal of Climate Literacy Coordinator
Maine Department of Education, Office of Innovation