New York State has more than one-fifth of all Earth Science teachers and students in grades 6 – 12 Earth Science classes in the country, so the impact of strong programs in our schools can be considerable toward developing models for other states, as well as a knowledgeable future citizenry. The NYS Education Department has developed Science Education Standards and Core Curriculum guides for elementary (K – 4), intermediate (5 – 8), and high school (9 – 12) science that include extensive weather and ocean topics. Our poster will describe these, along with strategies to help educators meet the challenges of teaching them in the diverse school settings across the state—urban, suburban, rural, well-to-do, high-needs, experienced educators, beginning teachers, teachers out of their certified subject areas, etc. We will provide examples from pre-service teacher preparation programs offered by the State University of New York and City University of New York to produce qualified new teachers. We will also describe selected in-service professional development programs for in-service teachers, including American Meteorological Society DataStreme Courses and the Earth2Class Workshops for Teachers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University.