The draft was developed by the Pennsylvania Advisory Council under the guidance of the Department of Education. This plan correlates directly with the goals, outcomes and strategies for the newly developed Mid-Atlantic Elementary and Secondary Environmental Literacy Plan.

The Pennsylvania literacy plan looks at eight areas of importance for both formal and non-formal educators in the area of environmental education. These areas are:
A. School System (state regulations and laws pertaining to formal education)
B. Life Long Learners (Meaningful Learners and Civic Engagement)
C. Sustainable Practices, Healthy Living and the Environment
D. Funding and Implementation
E. Partnerships
F. Early Childhood Education
G. Pre-Service Education 
H. Professional Development (formal and non-formal)
For each of the eight areas of the Pennsylvania Literacy Plan recommendations, action steps and main responsible parties have been developed. Each recommendation addressed a very specific topic and then steps to meet the recommendations focused on 2 both formal and non-formal education. 
Multiple partners are identified in each area who the council felt would hold the primary responsibility to ensure that actions would be taken to meet the recommendations. These partners are at the regional, state and federal levels.
There are four goals for the plan and its recommendations:
-- Goal 1: Every student in the region graduates with the knowledge and skills to make informed environmental decisions.
-- Goal 2: All educators in the region responsible for instruction about or in the environment have access to sustained professional development opportunities, tools, and resources that support their efforts to provide students with high-quality environmental education.
-- Goal 3:  Every school in the region maintains its buildings, grounds, and operations to support positive environmental and human health outcomes.
-- Goal 4: The education community in the region functions in a unified manner and coordinates with key national, regional, and stat programs to represent the full suite of information and opportunities available for PK-12 audiences.