143 p.En la presente propuesta de investigaci?n se analiz?, de manera cr?tica, el Estado actual de la Educaci?n Ambiental (EA) en tres Instituciones Educativas (IE) p?blicas de b?sica secundaria y media en El Espinal (Tolima). Se logr? establecer un diagn?stico actualizado de c?mo se concibe y c?mo se est? desarrollando la EA en dichas instituciones. El an?lisis se llev? a cabo a trav?s de la aplicaci?n de cuatro instrumentos: i) Matriz de lectura cr?tica del PRAE para documentos institucionales como el Proyecto Ambiental Escolar (PRAE) y el Proyecto Educativo Institucional (PEI), ii) Entrevista semiestructurada a profesores dinamizadores del PRAE y directivos de las IE, iii) Cuestionario a docentes de las IE y, iv) Encuesta a estudiantes de los grados Noveno, D?cimo y Und?cimo de las tres IE seleccionadas. Se encontr? que, en general, los profesores de las tres IE analizadas no tienen fortalecida la formaci?n acad?mica espec?fica en el ?rea ambiental y solo recae la ?responsabilidad? en el docente de Ciencias Naturales. Asimismo, aunque se trata de abordar la transversalidad desde lo ambiental en las diferentes ?reas, no se profundiza adecuadamente; en ocasiones solo queda en el papel y en la propuesta. No obstante, existe inter?s de los docentes por la EA, pero argumentan falta de tiempo y de recursos para el desarrollo de actividades ambientales como lo desean, ya que se ajusta solamente a las conmemoraciones internacionales/nacionales de eventos en esta tem?tica (D?a del Agua, D?a de la Tierra, etc.). Por su parte, los estudiantes consideran importante la EA en su formaci?n acad?mica y personal. Muchos participan en actividades ambientales, pero desconocen el PRAE tanto en su contenido como en la aplicaci?n pr?ctica. Asimismo, expresan que los docentes no abordan lo ambiental desde sus ?reas como deber?a ser. Un aspecto com?n a las tres IE es que se indica que el PRAE est? incluido en el PEI como proyecto transversal y, por lo tanto, el abordaje ambiental desde el PRAE se ha circunscrito principalmente con problem?ticas comunes sobre el manejo de residuos s?lidos. Los estudiantes 13 seleccionados indicaron que no se realiza una socializaci?n adecuada del PRAE para la comunidad educativa. De nuevo se recalca que el PRAE es responsabilidad del docente de Ciencias Naturales. Igualmente, ellos concluyen que a pesar del marcado inter?s y compromiso por lo ambiental, de toda la comunidad educativa, el impacto que tiene no es significativo. Se espera que los resultados de esta investigaci?n constituyan un referente te?rico que permita a las instituciones educativas p?blicas y a la Secretar?a de Educaci?n del departamento del Tolima apropiarse del diagn?stico efectuado, para que propongan estrategias acordes con sus necesidades educativas - ambientales, desde una perspectiva de mediano y largo plazos. Asimismo, servir? a la academia como un diagn?stico integral para proponer planes de mejora y/o resignificaci?n de los PRAE de las instituciones educativas p?blicas en El Espinal y, por ende, a la comunidad educativa en general del Tolima. PALABRAS CLAVE: Ambiente, Educaci?n Ambiental, Instituciones Educativas,In the present research proposal, the current state of the Environmental Education (EE) in three public Educational Institutions (EI) at the basic and secondary level in the municipality of El Espinal - Tolima was critically analyzed. An updated diagnosis of how the EE is conceived and how is being developed in these institutions was established. The analysis was carried out through the application of four collecting data instruments for all: i) Critical Reading Matrix of the School Environmental Project - SEP (PRAE in Spanish) for institutional such as the Institutional Education Project ? IEP (PEI in Spanish) and the SEP ii) Interview with dynamizer teachers of the SEP, iii) Questionnaire for teachers and, iv) Survey of students in grades 9th, 10th and 11th. It was found that, in general, the teachers of the three EI analyzed, do not have strengthened the specific academic training in the environmental area and only the ?responsibility? falls on the natural sciences teacher. Likewise, although it is a matter of addressing transversality from the environmental perspective in the different areas, it is not adequately explored; sometimes it only remains on the technical documents and in the proposal. However, teachers' interest in EE is presented, but they argue lack of time and resources for the development of environmental activities as they wish, since it fits only with international / national commemorations of events on this topic (world water day, Earth day, etc.). On the other hand, students consider EE important in their academic and personal training. Many they participate in environmental activities but are unaware of the SEP both in its content and in its practical application. Likewise, they express that teachers do not approach the environment from their areas as it should be. A common aspect of the three EI is that it is indicated that the SEP is included in the IEP as a transversal project and, therefore, the environmental approach from the SEP has been mainly circumscribed with common problems regarding solid waste management. The selected students also 15 indicated that an adequate socialization of the SEP for the educational community is not presented. Again, it is emphasized that the SEP is the responsibility of the natural sciences teacher. Likewise, they conclude that despite the marked interesand commitment to the environment by the entire educational community, the impact this framework has is not significant. It is expected that the results of this research constitute a theoretical reference that allows public educational institutions and the Education Secretary of the Tolima Department, to appropriate the diagnosis made so that the department proposes strategies in accordance with the educational - environmental needs of the department, under a medium and long-term perspectives. Likewise, it will serve the academy as an integral diagnosis to propose plans for improvement and/or resignification of the SEP of the public educational institutions of El Espinal and therefore to the educational community in general of Tolima. Keywords: Educational Institutions, Environment, Environmental Education, Scholar Environmental Project, Transversality.