Utilizing Partnerships Across the Landscape to Minimize the Risks of Schools and Classroom Activities As Pathways for Invasive Species

• We report the scope, risks  and solutions to an invasive species pathway linked with schools, science curricula, biological supply warehouses and aquaria/pet suppliers. We surveyed ~2000 teachers from FL, NY, IN, IL, OR, WA, CA, CT, Ontario and British Columbia), interviewed curriculum specialists, conducted focus groups involving 84 teachers, surveyed and worked with national biological supply houses. Teachers obtained nearly 900 different species from a variety of sources, about 2/3rds from pet stores and biological supply houses. Home, science centers, other teachers, and gather on their own account for 1/3. Classroom organisms may be released. Solutions, such as using natives or euthanasia, aren’t as simple as hoped. Native species, generally aren't available when school is in session, lack of husbandry knowledge and unwillingness among teachers to euthanize classroom animals. Teachers, school districts, science curriculum developers, natural resources agencies and companies in the live organism trade with schools seek better understanding of what organisms used in school activities are invasive, alternatives to invasive species and better end-of-use guidelines and options for teachers. Uses of live organisms in the classroom have strong benefits to teaching and learning in schools.  An extensive partnership and collaboration across the education, natural resource agency and in the school science and pet trade  is needed to enable solutions to this dilemma.