ABSTRACT
Pre-college education provides the only formal education that the majority of the public receives. Traditionally, precollege agricultural education has focused on vocational training designed to prepare individuals for careers in agriculture. Educational research clearly shows that a lack of teacher input is the primary barrier to the successful implementation of curricula. When curricula are developed by experts and then given to teachers, they are not nearly as likely to be used as when true partnerships among scientists, farmers, and teachers are formed to capitalize on the expertise of each. When educators develop "ownership" of the eventual product, the program has a better guarantee of success. Sustainable agriculture can be taught within a number of school subjects including science, social studies, economics, and political science. Partnerships and collaborations are considered vital to the success of educational reform. The concern over the state of science education is coupled with an overall sense of the need for improved environmental education.
