Developing and assessing new curriculum for Missouri's future soil evaluators

Abstract One‐quarter of households in the state of Missouri are connected to an onsite sewage treatment system. These systems are necessary due to the risks human effluent poses to public health and our states’ aquifers and waterways. For these systems to function correctly, a thorough and accurate evaluation of the soils and landforms onsite must be accomplished. There are currently less than 46 certified onsite wastewater soil evaluators registered in Missouri to perform these evaluations for new and replacement systems in Missouri. This project develops in‐person and online introductory courses for new soil evaluators to ensure that the regulations and standards of Missouri's laws and statutes are followed by Missouri's future soil evaluators. Participants, both current professionals and university students, completed voluntary pre‐ and post‐course surveys related to their knowledge of skills and topics regarding onsite soil evaluations. Participants’ knowledge increased significantly across all six areas of study, though results varied based on background. Overall, participants indicated that these workshops provided quality training that they would recommend. These courses are available through in‐person workshops or through online classes.