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Original goals for project sustainability under ideal conditions
The three rural school districts in our project did not have district science standards in place, or a curriculum aligned with the state/national standards when our project started. Our definition of sustainability when the project started was:
- District teams with representation from all levels would develop district science frameworks based on the State Essential Learnings, the name of our state standards.
- Based on these frameworks, the teams would lead the piloting of various inquiry-based curricula and the district would adopt an appropriate curriculum for grades K-5.
- All teachers would receive the appropriate professional development so that they can teach the curriculum at the mechanical use level. This professional development would include content background, kit overview, assessment techniques, understanding of inquiry and ways to connect science instruction to reading, writing and mathematics.
- The district would identify a permanent - either full time or part-time - science coordinator who would oversee arranging the professional development, handle issues related to curriculum implementation and organize ongoing professional development after the project ends. To assist this person the districts would have a core of Leadership Teachers in each building.
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Reflections on these goals from the end of the project funding cycle
The three districts are of dramatically different sizes, which has been a major factor concerning sustainability (Snoqualmie Valley - 4,278 students K-12, Riverview - 2,980 students K-12, Skykomish - 101 students K-12). Turnover of top level administrators has also influenced sustainability. The reality of sustainability when the project ended is:
- All three districts have a science framework in place.
- All three districts have adopted a curriculum aligned with the state standards. The two largest districts rent kits from a larger, nearby district that has an aligned curriculum. Skykomish borrows curriculum kits as they are needed from Pacific Science Center.
- Skykomish went through three superintendents and had its accreditation questioned during the project. Its original Lead Teacher left halfway into the project. Use of the curriculum, however, remains consistent.
- Teachers in Riverview continue to regularly use the curriculum, however the part-time science coordinator was not continued after the end of the project. A core of Lead Teachers continues to support the project. The district has had four curriculum directors and two superintendents since the beginning of the project, which has harmed the long-term stability.
- Snoqualmie Valley continues to have a halftime science coordinator to support the curriculum and professional development within the district. A core of Lead Teachers continues to support the project. Leadership at the administrative level has been relatively stable, which is an important element regarding stability.
Dealing with what you can control, handling what you can't control and making the best of the situation
Those things we can control:
- Our original proposal to NSF was submitted to Teacher Enhancement before the LSC program existed. NSF chose to fund it as an LSC project in the first round of funding. Given the emphasis on Leadership Teacher development and professional development for all teachers, I would not have started the LSC project until after the districts developed a science framework, piloted curricula and were ready to implement the curricula.
- We learned late in our project that the Lead Teachers, who are fulltime classroom teachers, reached a point where they could no longer sustain the same level of commitment they had at the beginning. Although we started bringing on new Lead Teachers near the end of the project, we should have been doing this throughout the project.
Those things we can't control:
- Only work with districts that will not turnover top-level administrators.
- Live in a state that has a state test in science as well as reading, writing and mathematics. Washington State's science test begins in 2003. Until then, the need to focus on other subjects has made it difficult to get districts to allocate the time for the professional development that is needed to implement a quality science program.
- Remind ourselves regularly that without this project, these districts would probably have no science framework and no adopted curricula aligned with the state Essential Learnings.
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Suggestions for projects starting out; or, how we might have done things differently
The success of STAFF Leadership, along with several LSC projects across the state (e.g. Vancouver, Seattle, Spokane) set an example for how districts can implement a quality science curriculum - at least at the elementary level - that is aligned with education reform in the state. This has resulted in:
- Washington State is one of eight regional sites participating in NSRC's LASER (Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform) Project.
- An additional 40 districts across the state - primarily small, rural districts - have developed five-year strategic plans to implement an inquiry-based K-5 or K-8 science program.
- We worked with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a $147 million, eight-year plan to assist every district in the state with developing and implementing strategic plans similar to these 40 districts.
- The state budget crisis for 2001/2003 may set these plans back or only allow for a pilot program, but the science education leaders across the state and the Superintendent of Public Instruction remain committed to identifying fund to move the project forward.
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Questions for other project's staff to reply to
- What were the secrets of success at getting ALL teachers to participate in 100 hours of professional development?
- What were the most successful strategies for dealing with top-level administrator turnover?
THIS POSTER WAS PREPARED BY:
Dennis Schatz of the STAFF Leadership
Project.
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