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{{ | {{Organization | ||
| | |OrganizationName=Agriculture in the Classroom | ||
| | |OrganizationType=Educational Program | ||
| | |Mission=Boost ag literacy in K-12 with resources & programs, linking classrooms to agriculture to show its role in food, fiber, & well-being | ||
|ParentOrganization=Department of Agriculture | |||
|TopOrganization=Department of Agriculture | |TopOrganization=Department of Agriculture | ||
|OrganizationExecutive=Program Director | |||
|Services=Curriculum Development; Teacher Training; Student Outreach; Resource Provision | |||
|HeadquartersLocation=38.89206, -77.04231 | |||
|HeadquartersAddress=1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250 | |||
|Website=https://www.agclassroom.org/ | |Website=https://www.agclassroom.org/ | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Short description|United States educational program}} | {{Short description|United States educational program}} | ||
'''Agriculture in the Classroom''' ('''AITC''') is a grassroots program coordinated by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA) and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. Its goal is to help students gain greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies. AITC raises agricultural literacy by helping students understand the farm sources of their food, fabric and flowers. | '''Agriculture in the Classroom''' ('''AITC''') is a grassroots program coordinated by the [[United States Department of Agriculture]] (USDA) and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization. Its goal is to help students gain greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies. AITC raises agricultural literacy by helping students understand the farm sources of their food, fabric and flowers. | ||
It' is a USDA-coordinated initiative that partners with state programs, reaching nearly 5 million students and 60,000 teachers annually across 50 states and territories, to integrate agriculture into K-12 education through lesson plans, virtual field trips, and hands-on learning experiences. | |||
The program is carried out in each state, according to state needs and interests, by individuals representing farm organizations, [[agribusiness]], education and government. | The program is carried out in each state, according to state needs and interests, by individuals representing farm organizations, [[agribusiness]], education and government. | ||
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* encouraging USDA agencies to assist in the state programs, and | * encouraging USDA agencies to assist in the state programs, and | ||
* coordinating with national organizations to promote the goal of an increased awareness of agriculture among the nation's students. | * coordinating with national organizations to promote the goal of an increased awareness of agriculture among the nation's students. | ||
{{Official URL (simple)|url=https://www.agclassroom.org/}} | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
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[[Category:United States Department of Agriculture programs]] | [[Category:United States Department of Agriculture programs]] | ||
[[Category:Education policy in the United States]] | [[Category:Education policy in the United States]] | ||
==Mission== | |||
The National Agriculture in the Classroom Program strives to enhance students’ and educators’ understanding of agriculture’s critical role in providing food, clothing, shelter, and fuel, while linking it to core subjects like science, math, and social studies. By fostering agricultural literacy, it aims to create informed citizens who support sustainable agricultural policies and appreciate the industry’s economic and environmental significance, reaching approximately 2.7 million students directly in 2023 via state efforts.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/ |title=About AITC |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Parent organization== | |||
The AITC operates under the [[United States Department of Agriculture]], specifically within the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), which oversees its national coordination and funding support to state programs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/agriculture-classroom-program |title=AITC Program |publisher=National Institute of Food and Agriculture |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Legislation== | |||
The AITC was not established by specific legislation but evolved in the early 1980s as a grassroots effort under USDA’s authority, formalized through NIFA’s mission under the [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-91/pdf/STATUTE-91-Pg981.pdf Food and Agriculture Act of 1977], with national coordination solidified by 1985.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/history/ |title=AITC History |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Partners== | |||
* State AITC programs (e.g., Texas, Iowa, California) for local implementation | |||
* National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization for resource development<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/partners/ |title=AITC Partners |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
* Agricultural organizations like Farm Bureau and 4-H for outreach | |||
==Number of employees== | |||
The exact number of employees is not centrally reported, as AITC operates through a network of state programs with varying staff sizes, supported by USDA personnel and 14,367 volunteer educators impacted in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/ |title=About AITC |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Organization structure== | |||
AITC is a federated program with national oversight and state-level execution: | |||
===Leader=== | |||
The National Agriculture in the Classroom Program is overseen by a Program Director within USDA’s NIFA.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nifa.usda.gov/about-nifa |title=About NIFA |publisher=National Institute of Food and Agriculture |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
===Divisions=== | |||
The divisions include: | |||
* National Coordination Team for curriculum and strategy.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/ |title=About AITC |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
* State Programs for regional implementation (50 states/territories). | |||
* Curriculum Development Team for lesson plans and resources. | |||
==List of programs== | |||
* Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/matrix/ |title=Curriculum Matrix |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
* Virtual Field Trips | |||
* National Agriculture Literacy Outcomes (NALOs) | |||
==Last total enacted budget== | |||
The specific budget for AITC is not publicly isolated for FY 2024; it’s funded within NIFA’s broader appropriations (e.g., $1.7 billion in FY 2023), with state programs leveraging additional local and private funds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2023-budget-summary.pdf |title=FY 2023 Budget Summary |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Staff== | |||
AITC’s staffing includes USDA coordinators, state program directors, educators, and volunteers (14,367 in 2023), with no centralized count due to its distributed model across states and territories.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/ |title=About AITC |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Funding== | |||
Since the 1980s, AITC has been funded through USDA appropriations via NIFA, supplemented by state contributions, grants, and partnerships with agricultural organizations, supporting its reach to nearly 5 million students annually.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/agriculture-classroom-program |title=AITC Program |publisher=National Institute of Food and Agriculture |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Services provided== | |||
AITC develops and distributes free, standards-aligned lesson plans, provides teacher training through workshops and conferences, engages students with farm tours and virtual field trips, and offers resources like the Curriculum Matrix to integrate agriculture into K-12 education.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/teacher/ |title=Teacher Resources |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Regulations overseen== | |||
AITC does not oversee regulations but aligns with USDA educational goals and state academic standards to ensure program relevance.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/ |title=About AITC |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Headquarters address== | |||
1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250 | |||
==History== | |||
Initiated in the early 1980s by educators and agriculturalists, AITC emerged as a grassroots response to declining agricultural awareness amid urbanization. Coordinated nationally by USDA since 1985, it grew with the establishment of the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization in 1981, formalized under NIFA, and now spans all 50 states, reaching millions with support from the 2012 National Center for Agricultural Literacy at Utah State University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agclassroom.org/about/history/ |title=AITC History |publisher=National Agriculture in the Classroom |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref> | |||
==Related== | |||
See Also Links to related programs articles or organizations: | |||
* [[United States Department of Agriculture]] | |||
* [[National Institute of Food and Agriculture]] | |||
* [[4-H]] | |||
==External links== | |||
* [https://www.agclassroom.org/ Official Website] | |||
* [[wikipedia:Agriculture in the Classroom]] | |||
* [https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/agriculture-classroom-program NIFA AITC Overview] | |||
==References== | |||
<references /> | |||
[[Category:Program]] | |||