California Science Education Advisory Committee

In January 1995, the California Alliance for Mathematics and Science(CAMS) convened a group of representatives from the science community todevelop a position paper on California's science education reform to submit to the newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction, Delaine Eastin. A major outcome of this meeting was the establishment of an "official" science education advisory committee; thus, the California Science Education Advisory Committee (CSEAC) was established to share information and to work collectively for the continued improvement of science education in California's schools.

CSEAC has a membership of 35+ organizations (see below) from statewide professional development groups, county offices, districts, CDE, national labs, institutions of higher education, business and industry, and parents. Its meetings are convened jointly by CAMS and the WestEd Eisenhower Regional Consortium every 6-8 weeks, are held at various locations aroundthe state and are open to organizational representatives as well as interested individuals. Attendees cover their own transportation and release time;hosting agencies often provide breakfast and lunch.

CSEAC's major accomplishments include:

• Developed and presented recommendations about a new Science Framework to the Curriculum Commission. These recommendations and CSEAC testimony were instrumental in the renewal of the California Science Framework.

• Assisted the CDE in the development of science standards for the Challenge Districts (November, 1995).

• Initiated a California Systemic Initiatives Assessment Collaborative that provided a 1996 spring science assessment for all schools involved in NSF systemic reform efforts (e.g., State Systemic Initiative/CSIN; Urban Systemic Initiatives--Fresno, Los Angeles; Local Systemic Change--San Francisco) as well as other programs supporting science education reform (e.g., SIRC, NSRC, etc.). This assessment was administered in grades 5 and 8 to approximately 20,000 students.

• Submitted a grant proposal to NSF cross programs to continue the work of the Assessment Collaborative. The grant was awarded by NSF.

• Convened a statewide Policy Committee and six Task Forces to coordinate and write draft California Science Content and Performance Standards. A statewide review, critique and revision process is being implemented.

Contact Names: Kathy DiRanna, Co-PI/PD CAMS; CSIN Director (714) 824-7809; kdiranna@cams.edu and Art Sussman, Director, WestEd Eisenhower Regional Consortium for Science and Math Education, (415) 241-2728; asussma@wested.org

Agencies

• California Department of Education
• California Post Secondary Education Commission (CPEC)
• County Offices of Education
• Golden State Exam
• National Laboratories (Sandia, Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore)
• Parent-Teacher Associations
• WestEd

Business and Industry Partnerships

California Parent Teachers Association (PTA)

Institutes of Higher Education

• California State University
• California Community Colleges
• University of California

New Standards Project

Statewide Professional Development Organizations

• California Science Implementation Network (CSIN)
• California Science Project (CSP)
• California Scope, Sequence and Coordination Project (S S&C)
• California Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
• Project 2061
• Science Partnerships for Articulation and Networking (SPAN)

Science Informals

• Southern California Museum of Science and Industry
• Exploratorium
• Lawrence Hall of Science

Systemic Initiatives

• California Alliance for Mathematics and Science (CAMS)
• Fresno Urban Systemic Initiative
• Los Angeles Urban Systemic Initiative
• San Diego Urban Systemic Initiative
• San Francisco Local Systemic Change