The St. Louis Urban Systemic Initiative (SLUSI) promotes a large scale comprehensive strategy to transform current thought and educational practice to bring all of the District's students to educational excellence in mathematics, science and technology. The Initiative will accomplish this task by focusing on Professional Development, Curriculum/Instruction and Assessment, Student Support Systems and Structural, Organizational Process Reform. It is anticipated that reform in these four areas will result in improved student achievement. Key stakeholders from the St. Louis Collaborative, the Mayor's office and the St. Louis community will forge relationships in support of mathematics, science and technology reform within St. Louis Schools and the School District of University City. Consistent with the National Science Foundation's directives and recommendations for urban systemic reform, the SLUSI has at its core a vision that seeks to: (1) improve the scientific and mathematical literacy of all St. Louis students; (2) provide the mathematics and science fundamentals which will permit all students to participate fully in a technological society; and (3) enable a significantly greater number of these students to pursue careers in mathematics, science engineering and technology. The Initiative builds upon existing community involvement, exemplary Comprehensive Regional Centers for Minorities (CRCM) activities, and a leadership structure that has secured the endorsements of key political leaders of the City of St. Louis and University City. The vision of the SLUSI is to improve the achievement of all students by providing high quality mathematics and science instruction through state-of-the-art pedagogical and instructional strategies supported by organizational reforms.
