This planning grant seeks to expand a National Science Foundation Teacher Enhancement Program, Idaho SOARS (Science Objective Assessment and Resuructuring System), to provide for the identification of K-12 leadership teams throughout Idaho school districts with special emohasis on urban and suburban schools. The project will utilize and evaluate a school science improvement system. The Planning Grant will allow the SOARS II team to do the following: (a) Revise the rural SOARS assessment instrument to better model urban and suburban schools; (b) Provide state-wide meetings to identify schools interested in and willing to fully engage in the SOARS II process for site based changes in science education; (c) Identify and refine teacher-as-leader materials for use in SOARS II; and (d) Establish a broad- based network of business and industry support for the SOARS II process.
