Science Support

Our Vision for Science Learning 

All students, especially students of color, have culturally relevant experiences through caring adult relationships that allow them to have voice in their learning and see themselves as science learners (knowers and doers of science) 

Puget Sound ESD supports the instructional shifts and systemic changes necessary so that all students engage in the vision for equitable science teaching and learning called for in A Framework for K-12 Science Education and reflected in the Next Generation Science Standards. 

"Equity in science education requires that all students are provided with equitable opportunities to learn science and become engaged in science and engineering practices; with access to quality space, equipment, and teachers to support and motivate that learning and engagement; and adequate time spent on science.  In addition, the issue of connecting to students’ interests and experiences is particularly important for broadening participation in science." 

~ NRC, A Framework for K-12 Science Education, p. 28 

To achieve our vision, PSESD supports school district leaders and teachers of science in shifting to instructional practices that empowers students to see themselves as scientists and engineers, as knowers of big science ideas and solvers of engaging and relevant problems.  

Science Leadership Collaborative 

PSESD partners with our regional school districts and the North Sound and South Sound LASER Alliances to co-facilitate the Science Leadership Collaborative.  Here, district science leaders come together several times a year to develop the dispositions and skills to lead science reform efforts that eliminate unequal science learning opportunities in their communities. 

Through the vision of the collaborative, we call forth equitable and inclusive science learning and teaching, in the 35 Puget Sound ESD school districts.   

In the collaborative, we support district science leaders to:

• Work with teachers so that students have culturally relevant experiences through caring adult relationships that allow them to have voice in their learning.  We want students to see themselves as “knowers and doers” science 
• Attend to structural barriers for students of color when leading science education improvement. 

The expectation is that teachers will:

• Understand the instructional innovations embedded in the Washington state science (NGSS) standards and, 
• Employ research-based practices that engage all students in culturally relevant, content area discourse and sense-making. 

The Science Leadership Collaborative structure includes:

• Leadership Learning events – These day-long events, 3-4 times per school year, provide leaders with opportunities to learn together about science implementation with particular attention to racial equity. 
• Translation to Leadership events – These monthly, two-hour PLC-style gatherings allow leaders to get to know each other's district contexts, share expertise and resources, and support leadership practices

Science Fellows

The Fellows are a growing network of Washington state educational leaders who expand their capacity to improve student learning through ongoing professional learning and leadership development within their local context and in partnership with school districts, educational service districts, community agencies, and state organizations.  

Science Fellows is a three-year commitment requiring school &/or district leader sponsorship.  We meet four times per year.  The first meeting of the year is a statewide gathering of all science fellows that requires district financial support for travel and event registration.   

Science Fellows applications open in the spring of each year.  Visit the OSPI Fellows Network website for more information.   
 

ClimeTime:  Climate Science & NGSS Professional Development 

ClimeTime is a state-led network of Educational Service Districts and Community-Based Organizations that provide professional learning opportunities to help teachers and their students understand climate science issues affecting Washington communities. 

PSESD provides teacher professional learning opportunities in partnership with regional school districts. Our learning opportunities support teachers who are interested in shifting their own practice and then sharing it with others in their district communities.  Examples of professional learning opportunities offered through ClimeTime include the following: 

• Collaborating for Ambitious Science Teacher Learning (CASTL) 

CASTL is a partnership between Puget Sound ESD, Northwest ESD and Olympic ESD to engage teachers in the Ambitious Science Teacher (AST) framework and support their implementation of the AST practices through the examination of student work.  

• Stormwater Troopers 

Stormwater Troopers is a partnership with Washington Green Schools to engage secondary life, Earth and physical science teachers in the use of local, stormwater-related contexts that are more likely to engage their curious learners.   

• Climate Science for High School Chemistry & Physics Teachers 

This project supports chemistry and physics teachers as they embed science learning in local climate science phenomena with attention to phenomena related to climate justice. 

More information about the statewide ClimeTime project can be found at https://www.climetime.org