This four-year implementation site project will: (1) increase the number of communities knowledgeable about NSF-supported exemplary K-12 science curricula; (2) establish networks among educators in these and other communities; (3) establish regional support centers (nodes) that will continue to provide support to communities beyond project funding; and (4), collaborate with publishers of NSF-supported curricula to develop new strategies for supporting school district curriculum implementation. A focus will be on underserved communities in both urban and rural areas.
Specifically, the project has: (1) identified a national faculty to work with EDC and the nodes; (2) attained the support of eight publishers; (3) identified ten nodes -- Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, KY; Jackson Public Schools, Jackson, MS; Portland Public Schools, Portland, OR; Pueblo School District 60, Pueblo, CO; South Bend Schools Corporation/Notre Dame University, South Bend, IN; The Keystone Project, Bozeman, MT; The Center for Excellence for Mathematics and Science Education at Black Hill University, Spearfish, SD; The Area Education Association, Clear Lake, IA; Upper Peninsula of Michigan Mathematics and Science Consortium; the University of Idaho, Moscow, ID; and the Panhandle Area Education Consortium, Chipley, FL. Each node has a group of collaborators that include the Eisenhower Regional Consortia, local universities, museums, businesses, and other science-rich organizations. Over four years, the nodes will serve 375-500 communities.
EDC will provide each node with core activities including materials libraries, summer institutions, resource and product development and electronic communication.
The evaluation will be conducted by Policy Studies Associates and will examine district participation (criteria for underserved), adoption of NSF-funded curricula, evidence of sound implementation, and quality of EDC activities.