Original Vision

TUSD is the second largest school district in Arizona, serving over 62,000 students K-12. As for many urban districts, the primary district focus is to reduce the significant academic achievement gaps for large numbers of economically disadvantaged, ELL, and minority students. While science is not currently tested in Arizona, it is the only curriculum in our district supported by a central resource center refurbishment and delivery system that ensures distribution of the program to every K-8 classroom.

Since 1998, the NSF funded D.E.S.E.R.T. Project in partnership with University of Arizona scientists, have provided the district's 76 elementary and 20 middle schools with professional development and supportive services to implement a K-8 inquiry -based science program to develop critical thinking and science literacy for all students. The Science Resource Center learning services and kit delivery system are a valuable resource to help the district address the goals for student achievement and it is the locus of support to ensure inquiry based science survives as a district priority despite the climate of extremes facing systemic change.

SETTING THE SIGHTS (ORIGINAL VISION)

The D.E.S.E.R.T. Project (District-wide Emphasis on Science Education Reform in Tucson) vision was to support system wide changes in K-8 science education to help students think and act as scientists and to promote conceptual understanding in the core science modules. The Project had three primary goals to:

• Promote clear standards for effective science education aligned with National Science Education Standards.
• Provide district-wide and site-based professional development to develop the capacity to sustain implementation of inquiry- based science programs and to improve student achievement.
• Develop tools to support a collaborative learning community at each site capable of sustaining Science reform.

The D.E.S.E.R.T. Project professional development plan consisted of three interwoven strands, to develop site-based learning communities, district-wide professional development, and leadership capacity. It involved approximately 1600 classroom and resource teachers, and over 100 site administrators. At the onset of the project, nine full-time Collaborative Teachers (CTs) were recruited from classroom teaching positions to facilitate these goals.

The Project invested heavily in preparation of these CTs with assistance from our partners and national consultants to further develop their skill repertoire and to provide tools necessary to support science education reform. Weekly CT sessions for planning, reflection and collaboration with the Science Resource Center Leadership team have continued throughout the project. With one exception, all the original CTs have remained for the duration of the project. This highly skilled, collaborative team has developed and implemented the project design in response to the needs identified through their work with individual sites, their involvement with other district programs and with national science leadership.

NEXT