America is too often failing students on climate change Middle school science teacher Sarah Ott at the whiteboard for her climate science class in Dalton, Georgia. Ott is a "teacher ambassador," who works with her peers to ensure more students have access to effective, evidence-based lessons about climate change. All images courtesy of National Center for Science Education. Americans want their children to learn about climate change in the public schools. More than three in four of us agree that schools should teach about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to global warming. So why isn’t it happening? The main influence on what’s taught in the classroom is state science standards, which specify what knowledge and abilities students are expected to acquire in the course of their education. These standards affect the content of textbooks, statewide testing, and teacher preparation.