A group of teachers in eight California school districts and two charter management organizations engaged in intensive professional learning and actively implemented Next Generation Science Standards in grades K–8. The Initiative spanned from 2014 to 2020.These NGSS Early Implementers were supported by the K–12 Alliance at WestEd, and work in partnership with the California Department of Education, the California State Board of Education, and Achieve. The S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation commissioned WestEd’s STEM Evaluation Unit independently of the K–12 Alliance to evaluate the Initiative in the eight public school districts. Evaluators investigated three main aspects of the Initiative’s NGSS implementation 1) districts’ local implementation, 2) implementation support provided by K–12 Alliance, and 3) the resulting science teaching and leadership growth of teachers and administrators, as well as student outcomes.
Extensive data collection over the six-year project included observations, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and document analysis. Hundreds of teachers and dozens of educational leaders were involved in the project.
What Educators Can Learn About NGSS Implementation: Highlights from the Early Implementers Initiative
By Burr Tyler, Denise Estrella, Ted Britton, Kimberly Nguyen, Ashley Iveland, Katherine Nilsen, Elizabeth Arnett, Joshua Valcarcel
This report on highlights from the Early Implementers Initiative is the final evaluation report of the series and offers key recommendations for policymakers and administrators for implementing the Next Generation Science Standards in their own districts.
NGSS In the Classroom: What Early Implementer Science Instruction Looks Like
By Katherine Nilsen, Ashley Iveland, Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Kimberly Nguyen, Elizabeth Arnett
What does NGSS science teaching look like in the classroom? The report discusses teachers’ experiences with four instructional practices that promote equitable instruction, an explicit feature of the NGSS.
Six Years of Scaling Up: Districtwide Implementations of the Next Generation Science Standards
By Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Kimberly Nguyen, Denise Estrella, Elizabeth Arnett, Ashley Iveland, Katherine Nilsen
This 12th report in WestEd’s NGSS Early Implementers evaluation series for policymakers, school and district administrators, and professional learning specialists describes the Initiative’s scale-up in its later years to reach all K–8 science teachers.
It’s About TIME: A Rigorous New Process for Selecting Instructional Materials for Science
By Katherine Nilsen, Burr Tyler, Elizabeth Arnett, Ted Britton, Denise Estrella, Kim Luttgen, Patrick Moyle, Robin Montoya
This report provides an overview of the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME) process, participants’ perceptions of TIME, a detailed description of statewide TIME trainings, challenges to implementing the TIME process, and recommendations for adoption committees supporting districts’ NGSS implementation.
Administrators Matter in NGSS Implementation
By Denise Estrella, Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Ashley Iveland, Kimberly Nguyen, Elizabeth Arnett
The K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative has consistently expanded the professional learning it provides for administrators, particularly for site administrators, who generally have the most contact with teachers.
Environmental Instruction Catalyzes Standards-Based Science Teaching
By Katherine Nilsen, Ashley Iveland, Ted Britton, Burr Tyler, Elizabeth Arnett
NGSS Early Implementers is a six-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The initiative has provided professional learning about environmental literacy to prompt and support its synergy with the NGSS.
Collaborative Lesson Studies: Powerful Professional learning for Implementing the Next Generation Science Standards
By Burr Tyler, Ashley Iveland, Katherine Nilsen, Ted Britton, Kimberly Nguyen, Denise Estrella, Elizabeth Arnett
NGSS Early Implementers is a six-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations implement the Next Generation Science Standards. This report explores how Teaching Learning Collaboratives (or lesson studies) served as the cornerstone professional learning activity for teacher leaders.
Investing in Science Teacher Leadership: Strategies and Impacts in the NGSS Early Implementers Initiative.
By Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Katherine Nilsen, Ashley Iveland, Kimberly Nguyen
This evaluation report explains how the NGSS Early Implementers Initiative prepared teachers for leadership in NGSS teaching, including how it created a culture of collaboration that produced change agents for science education and NGSS implementation.
Engaged and Learning: How Students Benefit from Next Generation Science Standards Teaching.
By Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Ashley Iveland, Kimberly Nguyen, Jerry Hipps
Learn how a diverse population of students are benefiting from their districts’ participation in the Early Implementers Initiative, a four-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Making Middle School Science Whole: Transitioning to an Integrated Approach to Science Instruction.
By Ashley Iveland, Ted Britton, Burr Tyler, Katherine Nilsen, Kimberly Nguyen
This evaluation report discusses the integration of science disciplines in grades 6-8, including the benefits and challenges of the California preferred integrated model for science instruction.
Developing District Plans for NGSS Implementation: Preventing Detours and Finding Express Lanes on the Journey to Implement the New Science Standards.
By Burr Tyler and Ted Britton
This evaluation report describes lessons learned by school districts that are developing and using master plans to implement NGSS.
Administrators Matter in NGSS Implementation: How School and District Leaders Are Making Science Happen.
By Ashley Iveland, Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Kimberly Nguyen, Steve Schneider
Learn how site and district administrators in several K–8 school districts in California are making critical contributions to the implementation of NGSS.
The Synergy of Science and English Language Arts: Means and Mutual Benefits of Integration.
By Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Ashley Iveland, Jerry Hipps, Kimberly Nguyen, Steve Schneider
Learn how the NGSS Early Implementers Initiative is equipping K–8 teachers to integrate science and English language arts.
The Needle is Moving in California K-8 Science. (2016)
By Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Ashley Iveland, Joshua Valcarcel, Steve Schneider
This report explores the progress of several California districts and charter school organizations in integrating instruction of science and English language arts.
Next Generation Science Standards in Practice: Tools and Processes Used by the California NGSS Early Implementers.
By Karen Cerwin, Kathy DiRanna, Jill Grace, Phil LaFontaine, Sue Ritchie, Jody Sheriff, Jo Topps, David Tupper, Claudio Vargas, Barbara Woods, Burr Tyler, Ted Britton, Ashley Iveland
This report describes 10 key tools and processes that aid NGSS lesson planning, instruction, and administrator support.
Learn More
For more information visit Evaluation Services at WestEd.