Washington State’s Story of Washington State’s Story of Building Capacity for Building Capacity for

Next Generation Science StandardsNext Generation Science Standards

NGSS Annual Network Meeting for State Leadership Teams & National Partners

February 18 – 19, 2014February 18 – 19, 2014

Atlanta, GAAtlanta, GA

• Ellen Ebert, PhDScience Director, Teaching & Learning,Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionWashington State NGSS Leademail: ellen.ebert@k12.wa.us

• Peggy Willcuts, EdDSTEM Education Outreach, Office of STEM EducationPacific Northwest Nat’l Laboratory Co-Director of SE LASER Alliance email: peggy.willcuts@pnnl.gov

• Agenda for Presentation

o Six conditions for Building Leadership Capacity – initial discussion

oWashington State LASER’s story then and now

oNGSS Timeline for Washington State

oClosing discussion Q&A

Six Conditions for Building Leadership Capacity

Six Conditions Your State

Is mutually beneficial to all parties; interests of each group are attended to

Operates through shared governance & decision-making 

Involves equitable sharing of financial and material resources & project benefits

 

Looks out for and works against power differentials that may be operating (e.g., between university and community / school participants)

 

Leverages diverse expertise of the team to create productive learning opportunities

 

Fosters continuous communication to build capacity and trust

HISTORICAL TIMELINE…

•Prior to 1999: – Some NSF grants – School improvement efforts – no science– Culture of sharing and working together– Needed a model– National Science Resources Center/LASER

•1999: – Launch of Washington State LASER– Yearly Strategic Planning Institutes

LASER Model Pushes for Regional Capacity Building

Build upon 9 Education Service Districts

296 school districts – many small

Engage in vision building

Help build resources and support (time, treasure, talent)

• Insert LASER mapOLYMPIC LASER ALLIANCE NE LASER ALLIANCE

SC LASER ALLIANCE

NC LASER ALLIANCE

SW LASER ALLIANCE

SS LASER ALLIANCE

M2H LASER ALLIANCE

SE LASER ALLIANCE

NW LASER ALLIANCE

NS LASER ALLIANCE

Building a Team

From all Stakeholder Groups• Business• K-12 Education• Higher Education• Informal Science• Parents & Community

•Distributed Leadership with Key Stewards•Technical Assistance for School Improvement Efforts•Grassroots to Key Influencers•Mixed Funding•Partnerships•Alliance/Hub Concept•NSF-funded Implementation and Dissemination Center Models

Scaling Up Strategies

• Strategy – “Invest upstream for downstream results.”• Build the capacity of schools, districts and regions.

– Build Awareness and Foster Leadership– Engage in Strategic Planning– Use a Curriculum-led Reform Strategy to Bridge the Gap

Between Standards and Practice– Implement, Evaluate and Improve– Go to Scale and Sustain

Washington State LASERThen and Now…

Washington State LASER - The Convener…

– Of schools and school districts

• Strategic Planning Institute

• STEM Education Leadership Institute

– Of key science leaders across all ten LASER Alliances

AND Regional Science Coordinators (ESDs)

• Science Partnership Academies

Always using the same formula again

and again…

–Hearing from Experts

–Reading the Research

–Conversing Collegially

–Building Action Plans

NGSS – a new innovation!

– Turn to our trusted model

• Study the Framework together

• Study the NGSS

– Begin to build capacity

• Create “Awareness of NGSS” Presentations for Stakeholder

Groups

• Create “Action Plan” for Regional Alliance

• Lots of “boots on the ground” using a trusted model of

regional impact to expand leadership capacity!

Deep Dives

BC4NGSS

Elements of NGSS Transition Plan, OSPI Feb. 2014

PHASE 1Spring 2014

Exploration, Awareness, and Statewide Capacity Building

PHASE 22014 - 2015

Classroom Transitions, Equity and Practices

PHASE 32015 - 2016

Leveraging Resources, Materials and Expertise

PHASE 42016 - 2017

Statewide Application, Assessment and Coordination

Elem

ents

, Lea

ds, a

nd T

asks

Communication (OSPI, State Science Leadership Team, LASER) Develop messages General outreach on shifts Ongoing messaging Statewide Capacity/Network Building (OSPI Programs; State Science Leadership Team) Identify existing expertise and gaps Develop NGSS support networks Ongoing support of leadership network Professional Learning (OSPI Programs; State Science Leadership Team, ESD Regional Science Coordinators, STEM teachers, Administrators, Informal/Community Educators) Identify Professional Learning needs (teachers, administrators, and community educators)

Professional Learning designed for all stakeholders

Professional Learning Implemented for teachers and administrators

Professional Learning Implemented for informal/community educators and ongoing adaptation of Professional Learning

Instructional Practices/Shifts (OSPI Programs; State Science Leadership Team, ESD Regional Science Coordinators, STEM teachers) Focus on equity and integrating Science and Engineering Practices

Continued focus on equity and integrating SEPs and Cross Cutting Concepts

Integration of three dimensions (SEPs, CCCs, and DCIs)

Instructional shifts in place

Instructional Materials and Curriculum (OSPI Programs; State Science Leadership Team, ESD Regional Science Coordinators, LASER) Evaluate existing materials Adapt existing materials and explore

(e) Innovations Evaluate placement of kit materials and leverage materials and curriculum

Develop/evaluate new materials

Assessment (OSPI) Analyze/align existing state assessment with NGSS (to the extent feasible)

Focus on classroom and formative assessment

Participate in multi-state assessment consortium with NGSS adopted states

Data Collection (OSPI) Determine metrics to be tracked (e.g. course taking, student achievement, STEM identity, etc.)

Develop data collection plan Track and report science related data

Policy Shifts (OSPI, SBE, PESB, Legislature) Identify policy changes necessary to implement NGSS (e.g. PESB Teacher competencies, assessment)

Secondary Pathways; PESB Competencies

Assessment Piloting

ONGOING STATEWIDE COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION TO SUPPORT

Washington State Next Generation Science Standards Transition Planning Document

Six Conditions for Building Leadership Capacity

Six Conditions Washington State

Is mutually beneficial to all parties; interests of each group are attended to

• Shared vision and goals• Administrative and community support• Longtime culture of sharing of time, treasure, and talent

Operates through shared governance & decision-making

 

• Regional ESDs and then LASER Alliances/HUBS• Grassroots to critical stakeholders • Shared vision and goals

Involves equitable sharing of financial and material resources & project benefits

 

• Using multiple investors from federal and state government, business and industry, foundations and the school districts themselves was critical.

• Leveraging the work of the Math/Science Partnership Grants• Continuous development and sharing of professional development events, tools, and strategies.

Looks out for and works against power differentials that may be operating (e.g., between university and community / school participants)

 

• Creating key partnerships that put a solid infrastructure in place allowed us to grow. • Intentional focus on equity• Celebrate all successes through the continuous communication efforts (First Monday email,

LASER E-Newsletters, Regional Science Coordinator Meetings, virtual meetings/phone conversations)

Leverages diverse expertise of the team to create productive learning opportunities

 

• Creating key partnerships that put a solid infrastructure in place allowed us to grow. • Use of key stakeholders to develop PD materials and key messaging tools• Collaborative development of learning events (Regional Science Coordinators/LASER Alliance

Directors)

Fosters continuous communication to build capacity and trust

• Convening state events (Strategic Planning Institutes/STEM Education Leadership Institutes )• Monthly phone calls for Alliance Directors• Monthly Leadership Team Calls• Bi-annual Leadership Team Meetings (Steering Committee)

• Ellen Ebert, PhDScience Director, Teaching & Learning,Office of Superintendent of Public InstructionWashington State NGSS Leademail: ellen.ebert@k12.wa.us

• Peggy Willcuts, EdDSTEM Education Outreach, Office of STEM EducationPacific Northwest Nat’l Laboratory Co-Director of SE LASER Alliance email: peggy.willcuts@pnnl.gov