We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of the third CAELI COE Fellowship cohort, comprising six fellows from four county offices of education. This year marks another milestone in CAELI’s county office of education leaders’ journey towards realizing their goal of establishing an environmental literacy coordinator in all fifty-eight county offices of education.
The movement has grown significantly since 2017 when the San Mateo County Office of Education hired the first environmental literacy and sustainability coordinator. As of the 2024–25 school year, seven COEs have a coordinator with the official title of “environmental literacy coordinator” and over 50 percent of the county offices of education are represented in CAELI’s monthly COE Community of Practice (CoP) meetings for county office of education employees who have begun to integrate environmental literacy and sustainability into core initiatives. Furthermore, more than 30 percent of COEs are hosting their own microsites on the CAELI Partner Portal, which provides a filterable site for teachers and administrators to find environmental education programs in their local region.
As this initiative continues to gain momentum, we are so proud to celebrate the success of the next wave of leaders who are graduating from the fellowship and catalyzing change towards environmental and climate action in their county. In addition to returning fellows from Santa Clara and Stanislaus Counties, we were thrilled to include fellows from Humboldt and Tulare Counties.
The CAELI COE Fellowship provides support for a deep dive into tools and strategies for leading high-impact environmental literacy and sustainability initiatives across a county’s school communities. The fellowship began in August 2024 with a kickoff retreat at Santa Clara County’s Walden West Outdoor School. The retreat provided an important foundation for the program for content knowledge and skill development, as well as the opportunity to network and build community. Following the retreat, the cohort convened monthly to focus on different topics and themes in the COE Environmental Literacy Initiative Leadership Toolkit. These sessions facilitated the sharing of inspiring examples, troubleshooting of leadership challenges, and exchanging of resources.
Jesse Wheeler, 2024–25 COE Fellow from Humboldt County, reflects, “This fellowship set a high standard for what a COE can do for environmental literacy and showed us strategies to set and achieve goals. I think seeing all of the possible outcomes helped put our current position in perspective and motivated us to dream big.”
Jenn Mutch of Santa Clara emphasizes the opportunity to grow through community, stating, “I continue to participate in the fellowship because it always helps me come back to the foundations of why I am doing this work, and the resources and networking that is shared helps me continue to build my own capacity.”
At the end of the program, COE Fellowship leaders Crystal Starr Howe (San Diego COE), Amity Sandage (Santa Cruz COE), and Andra Yeghoian (Ten Strands) were thrilled to see the fellows showcase their plans at the capstone presentations showcase. Andra shared this sentiment: “It was such a joy to work with the third cohort! The CAELI COE Fellowship has been such a critical force for change with county leaders coming together to network and exchange best practices on how to integrate environmental and climate action into their region’s TK–12 schools. I am so grateful to the cohort leaders and fellows for showing up and working hard to develop and implement high-impact initiatives that are truly catalyzing transformational change at the local level.”
Momentum for Climate Action: County Offices Leading the Way
Below are a few examples showcasing the breadth of the initiative plans that the 2024–25 CAELI COE Fellows shared at their capstone.
In the almond-rich landscapes of Stanislaus County, COE Fellow Jose Marquez (STEM and history-social science coordinator) is forging new pathways to environmental literacy by linking science and history in the classroom. Supporting twenty-six districts, Jose is cultivating a “small but mighty” team of teacher leaders to champion AB 285 and lead a 2025–26 climate change workshop series. Through support from the CAL-MSCS grant, educators will use the “Understanding Global Change” framework to examine environmental and historical systems. His work also extends beyond the classroom with initiatives like the Delta Sierra River Guardians and curriculum-aligned training for expanded learning staff, bringing environmental education into community spaces and afterschool programs.
In Tulare County, COE Fellow Jared Marr (science/STEM coordinator) is driving a region-wide push to build educator leadership for environmental literacy and sustainability. His professional learning series integrates NGSS, systems thinking, and project-based learning with a focus on equity and climate resilience. Designed in collaboration with school and community partners, this effort includes workshops and classroom-embedded support that empower teachers to use science as a platform for justice. By rooting instruction in local stories and civic engagement, Jared aims to equip students—particularly those from historically marginalized communities—to lead and thrive in the face of climate change.
Along the North Coast, Humboldt COE Fellows Dr. Rosie Slentz and Jesse Wheeler are bringing a transformative outdoor education vision to life. Together, they are developing a countywide outdoor school that will serve over thirty-six hundred students in grades 4–6 annually through immersive, residential programs. Located near Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the site will offer academic enrichment, social-emotional learning, and place-based connections, codeveloped in partnership with California State Parks. As the plan takes shape, Rosie and Jesse are collaborating with local tribes and nonprofits, seeking diverse funding, and building the staffing structures needed to ensure long-term equity and sustainability.
In Santa Clara County, COE Fellows Jenn Mutch and Erin Mongiello are continuing to lead a comprehensive environmental literacy and sustainability initiative grounded in systems change and youth empowerment. With ongoing support from their board of education, Jenn and Erin are focused on deepening work across curriculum, campus, community, and culture. Their strategy includes the development of Warriors for Climate, a youth-led leadership program, along with technical assistance to districts for AB 285 implementation and sustainability planning. Collaborating with partners like Santa Clara County’s Office of Sustainability and Ten Strands, they are creating meaningful opportunities for student civic engagement and educator professional learning. Additional efforts include the Santa Clara County Youth Climate Initiative, the annual Environmental Literacy Summit, and the Growing Garden Community of Practice. As new leadership transitions into the county office, Jenn and Erin remain committed to aligning their work with evolving district needs and priorities.
By the end of the program it became clear that fellows not only had a deep understanding of their communities but a shared enthusiasm and commitment to driving meaningful change. Erin Mongiello reflected on the trends and energy within the group: “I think everyone’s plans were well suited to where they lived and the needs of the community. It’s nice to see the difference based on their county offices and county’s patterns and trends. This group of people is so excited and passionate, and that shows in the work we’re doing. Having that passion and excitement will lead to change and implementation of these programs.” Rosie also shared her thoughts on the exciting progress and growth she observed: “I was impressed with all the work already happening. I saw a theme of expansion and enthusiasm for building on existing programs, which is exciting, especially as we move forward with this project. The strengthening of teacher networks and inclusion of more students is great to see.”
CAELI is committed to supporting this growth of leadership across counties and regions and will be offering the COE Fellowship in 2025–26 to a fourth cohort.
Click here for information on session content and here to submit an application.
All county office of education staff from any department are welcome, and teams are encouraged!
