Towson State University in collaboration with the Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS) and the National Urban Coalition (NUC) will provide a teacher enhancement program that will reinforce the newly adopted hands-on science curriculum for all of the 124 elementary schools in the city of Baltimore. This is part of Baltimore's "Operation Turnaround". This five-year teacher enhancement project will provide teacher training opportunities for 2000 elementary teachers (grades K- 5) to help them implement and phase in this new curriculum. Meaningful involvement by the principals as well as the community will reinforce the teachers' efforts. Twelve science educators, sixteen teachers and two principals, members of the BCPS science supervisory staff, the project director and associate project director, a total of 36 people, will become leader-coaches. This group will provide continued direct support to the school during the summer and school years. Two teachers from each school will be involved in leadership training as well as content and instructional updating to provide continuity and resources at the home sites. Teachers from eight schools in year one and twenty-nine schools in each of the next four years (total of 124 schools) will participate in a five-day intensive summer workshop held in one of the Baltimore County Public Schools and taught by selected members of the leader-coach team. In addition, teachers will elect to take up to four content courses at the University to update their science backgrounds. Specific activities for parents and community members are included in the project. A "Say Yes to Science" Communications Kit for active community members, the use of "Family Math" and "Family Science" (from EQUALS and NUC) in parents workshops, field trips to the Maryland Science Center, the National Aquarium and the Baltimore Zoo are components of the school support program. A workshop for principals will ensure the understanding and support of the administration at each school. The Baltimore City Public Schools will cost-share an amount equivalent to 38% of the NSF request with an additional 2% coming from other sources. This large commitment by BCPS is indicative of their sincerity in the improvement of elementary science education. //
