9619048 Lapp The National Science Resources Center (NSRC) has developed a one year planning process to initiate, support, and prove the viability of regional development sites as described in the proposal, Capacity Building for Science Education Reform. Two regional science education reform sites will be initiated during the planning year. Each site will be composed of a coalition of 7 - 15 neighboring school districts, representing about 3000 teachers from 100 - 150 schools. These regional sites will work together to develop and sustain comprehensive professional development programs for all K - 8 teachers. These programs will be designed to impact the "core educational practice" of participating districts, that is how teachers understand the nature of science knowledge and the student's role in learning, and how these about knowledge and learning are manifested in teacher practice. Specifically, NSRC will work with regional sites by developing and beginning a planning process (Alabama and South Carolina have agreed to become sites) to: (1) identify participating school districts; (2) develop a master plan for professional development; (3) identify resources to establish an electronic network; and (4) develop a plan for obtaining needed resources.
