The National Science Resources Center (NSRC) project will engage educators and scientists in a concerted and sustained effort to improve the teaching of science in the nation's elementary schools and increase the access of all students to effective elementary science instruction. The National Elementary Science Leadership Initiative (NESLI) will: (1) develop a talent pool of educators and scientists who can lead reform efforts in their communities; (2) provide technical assistance to school districts throughout the country that are working to improve their elementary science teaching resources; and (4) stimulate policy and program changes in school districts that will lead to the introduction of high- quality hands-on elementary science programs in school districts across the nation. The key to the attainment of these goals is the development of informed leadership and the identification of national resources that can be made available to respond to local needs. The NESLI project plan is based on research findings concerning the content and organization of effective elementary school science instruction; theories of organizational change; an understanding of the context in which organizational change must occur in the schools; and five years of NSRC experience working with hundreds of teachers, scientists, science educators, and school system administrators to bring about reforms in elementary school science education. The cost sharing for the project will be sixty-four percent of the NSF portion.
