WestEd
Project Title
As a final grant for a project to support NextGenScience to review OpenSciEd high school instructional units
Date
Mar. 07, 2024
Duration
9 months
Description
High-quality instructional materials are an essential component of any meaningful effort to improve K–12 science outcomes at scale. The science instructional materials market, however, currently includes few high-quality, standards-aligned K–12 science programs, particularly curriculum for high school science courses. NextGenScience at WestEd provides formative feedback to instructional materials developers so they can improve the quality of their materials designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Using a peer review panel of teachers and the EQuIP rubric for science, NextGenScience will complete their review of six OpenSciEd instructional units across three high school science courses in biology, chemistry, and physics.
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Project Title
As a final project grant to complete the development of two simulation games based on the Standards for Professional Learning and the design features of curriculum-based professional learningyour text here.
Date
Sep. 14, 2023
Duration
36 months
Description
School systems need to foster the conditions, content, and processes for professional learning that will support teachers to have the knowledge and skills to effectively teach their students and improve educational outcomes. Learning Forward released the Standards for Professional Learning in 2022 to inform state and district policies guiding the development of high-quality professional learning models. However, district and school leaders continue to need support translating standards to their local contexts. Additionally, leaders need to build capacity and develop better approaches to curriculum-based professional learning. WestEd plans to complete the development of two simulation games helping school and district leaders learn to implement the Standards and build cohesive models of curriculum-based professional learning in schools and systems. Simulations support deeper thinking and opportunities for collaboration and reflection. This renewal grant will pilot, finalize, and disseminate the two simulation games and associated resources.
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Project Title
As a one-time only grant for a project to develop science performance assessments in grades 3-5 designed for the Next Generation Science Standards
Date
Sep. 14, 2023
Duration
45 months
Description
There is currently a limited supply of high-quality science instructional materials, especially in the elementary grades, but organizations are working to fill this need. Elementary teachers need support to integrate science instruction into their classrooms, but instructional materials are only half of the equation. Teachers also need quality assessments aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to better understand student learning and shift instruction to improve educational outcomes. SCALE Science at WestEd supports improvements in science teaching and learning through innovative performance-based assessments designed for the NGSS. Through this grant, SCALE Science will develop and field test NGSS-aligned performance tasks for students in third to fifth grade. These performance tasks can be used to develop interim assessments aligned to high-quality science curricula, such as OpenSciEd, for districts and states to monitor student progress.
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Project Title
For a project supporting NextGenScience to review OpenSciEd instructional units
Date
Jun. 08, 2023
Duration
10 months
Description
High-quality instructional materials are an essential component of any meaningful effort to improve K–12 science outcomes at scale. The science instructional materials market, however, currently includes few high-quality, standards-aligned K–12 science programs, particularly curriculum for high school science courses. NextGenScience at WestEd provides formative feedback to instructional materials developers so they can improve the quality of their materials designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Over the past several years, NextGenScience’s reviews of OpenSciEd’s middle and high school units have supported the development of a free and publicly available program designed for the NGSS. Using a peer review panel of teachers and the EQuIP rubric for science, NextGenScience will review OpenSciEd’s instructional units for three high school science courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. Those that earn the highest rating will be designated with the NGSS Design Badge, a recognized mark in the field indicating high-quality science instructional materials. This ten-month grant includes ongoing training of the peer reviews by classroom science teachers and will complete initial reviews of four units across three high school science courses and six final reviews prior to the public release of new high school science units designed for the NGSS.
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Project Title
For a project to continue into Year 3 of the NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership
Date
Mar. 09, 2023
Duration
24 months
Description
The Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) require teachers to shift instruction to engage students in relevant phenomena using science and engineering practices. As a result, there is a growing demand for high-quality science instructional materials designed for the Framework and the NGSS. Now that theOpenSciEdmiddle school science curriculum is completed, many schools and districts around the country are ready to formally adopt and implementOpenSciEd. WestEd and BSCS Science Learning are developing the capacity of state and district leadership teams through the NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership. They will provide professional learning and support a cohort of four state and eight district leadership teams to lead effective implementation of theOpenSciEdmiddle school curriculum in their individual contexts. They also plan to work with Horizon Research to conduct an impact evaluation of the three-year curriculum leadership program.
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Project Title
For a project to continue the NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership to support OpenSciEd state and district leadership teams
Date
Mar. 10, 2022
Duration
17 months
Description
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Framework for K-12 Science Education require teachers to shift instruction to engage students in relevant phenomena using science and engineering practices. As a result, there is a growing demand for high-quality science instructional materials designed for the Framework and the NGSS. As theOpenSciEdmiddle school science curriculum is completed, many schools and districts around the country are ready to formally adopt and implementOpenSciEd. WestEd and BSCS Science Learning are developing the capacity of state and district leadership team through the NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership. They will provide professional learning and supports to a cohort of four state and eight district leadership teams to lead effective implementation of theOpenSciEdmiddle school curriculum in their individual contexts. Through this grant for Year 2 of the NEXUS Academy, WestEd and BSCS will co-lead annual institutes, webinars, convenings, and technical assistance for each leadership team, and share learnings about the program to the field.
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Project Title
For a project supporting NextGenScience at WestEd to review OpenSciEd instructional units for three high school science courses
Date
Dec. 02, 2021
Duration
16 months
Description
High-quality instructional materials are an essential component of any meaningful effort to improve K–12 science outcomes at scale. The science instructional materials market, however, currently includes few high-quality, standards-aligned K–12 science programs, particularly curriculum for high school science courses. NextGenScience at WestEd provides formative feedback to instructional materials developers so they can improve the quality of their materials designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Using a Peer Review Panel of teachers and the EQuIP rubric for science, NextGenScience will review OpenSciEd’s instructional units for three high school science courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Each unit will be reviewed twice, once prior to field testing and a final review after units are revised. Those that earn the highest rating will be designated with the NGSS Design Badge, a recognized mark in the field indicating high-quality science instructional materials. This 15-month grant will complete initial reviews of ten units across three high school science courses and three final reviews prior to the public release of new high school science units designed for the NGSS.
Website
Project Title
For a project to develop a virtual simulation game based on Learning Forward's revised Standards for Professional Learning
Date
Jun. 03, 2021
Duration
18 months
Description
WestEd, in partnership with Learning Forward, proposes to develop the content for a powerful learning tool to increase the quality of professional learning in the United States and amplify the importance of centering equity in the design of professional learning systems. Implementing Learning Forward’s Standards for Professional Learning will simulate the use of innovative and effective professional learning approaches to support state, school and district leaders to learn to transform teaching and learning through the provision of the highest quality professional learning for educators. WestEd will develop and pilot the content and game components for a virtual simulation game that will further amplify and deepen the ongoing and effective professional learning in the school system. Through this grant, WestEd will: a) establish a partnership agreement with Learning Forward, b) identify the learning goals for the simulation game,c) convene a design team, d) develop a storyboard and write the content for the pilot, and e) finalize and pilot the simulation game.
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Project Title
For project support of a family engagement video series
Date
Dec. 10, 2020
Duration
12 months
Description
Due to the unprecedented shift to virtual, distanced and hybrid learning, educators and families alike have had to adjust without much support or preparation. This has created a need to provide new, creative, quick, and digestible methods of training and professional development in family and community engagement. As an innovator and educational leader in providing high quality training and technical assistance, WestEd is prepared to assist with the current pressures as well as the immediate needs of schools and districts in addressing these new and time sensitive demands. With support from the Corporation, WestEd will research, design, and produce seven short videos that will be shared with districts for distribution and later serve as an archived resource. These videos will focus on the family engagement needs of the schools and districts to build and strengthen engagement practices during this pandemic.
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Project Title
For a project to launch the Nexus Academy for Curriculum Leadership for OpenSciEd state and District Science Leadership Teams
Date
Dec. 05, 2019
Duration
33 months
Description
WestEd is a national education research and development agency with over fifty years of experience supporting educational equity and excellence. Through this renewal grant WestEd will build the capacity of district and state middle school science leadership teams to support effective and sustained implementation of OpenSciEd’s high-quality and standards-aligned science middle school curriculum. WestEd will launch the Nexus Academy for Curriculum Leadership for OpenSciEd state and district science leadership teams, and will invite four states to recommend and help recruit district leadership teams who have committed to full implementation of OpenSciEd. Teams will participate in four Academy Institutes that will increase and support their understanding of effective implementation of OpenSciEd’s science curriculum. NEXUS will also provide technical assistance for participants to develop and refine their OpenSciEd implementation plans in local schools, with the intention of improving teacher knowledge and practice, and student learning.
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Project Title
For a research and evidence based project for family engagement in a school district
Date
Dec. 05, 2019
Duration
12 months
Description
Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) is a model of family engagement that is grounded in the notion that schools can thrive when families and teachers work together, as genuine partners, to maximize student learning inside and outside of school. The APTT was developed by WestEd, a nonpartisan, not-for-profit research, development, and service agency that provides high-quality research and development services in education, health and human services. At the classroom level, with the support of a trained teacher, APTT equips every parent to understand core academic learning targets, with the ability to read and interpret student progress data that is actionable, and to access tools and strategies that help parents monitor and support learning during out-of-school time. In this safe and supportive environment, every parent is welcomed, supported, and valued for the knowledge, experience, and assets they bring to the classroom community. With Corporation support, WestEd will pilot APTT in Brevard County, Florida.
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Project Title
As a final grant for core support for the national expansion of the community college pathways programs
Date
Sep. 07, 2017
Duration
24 months
Description
Nearly 45 percent of the nation’s undergraduate population is served by community colleges. Unfortunately, transfer and completion rates at these vital institutions are almost uniformly low, in part because so many students fail to earn required mathematics credit. In 2009, with significant support from the Corporation, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching launched two programs entitled, Statway and Quantway. These programs have been designed to transform developmental mathematics in community colleges and enable significantly more students to achieve college completion and success by enabling students to fulfill their developmental math requirement and earn a college-level math credit in a single year.
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Project Title
For a project to develop a Network of Educators across the United States (NEXUS) for Next Generation Science Education Leadership to support state and district leaders implementing new science standards and to deepen their knowledge and leadership practic
Date
Sep. 07, 2017
Duration
27 months
Description
WestEd is a national education research and development agency with over fifty years of experience supporting educational equity and excellence. Through this grant, WestEd will develop Network of Educators across the United States (NEXUS ) for Next Generation Science Education Leadership. This project will create a networked group of state and district leaders in five states, and support them to access and use effective approaches to implementing the NGSS in their districts. NEXUS will be designed in response to the need for state and district science leaders to deepen their knowledge and leadership practices related to supporting teachers and schools in ensuring equitable standards-aligned science education for all students through the implementation of high quality instructional materials designed for the NGSS.
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Project Title
For developing a leadership framework for implementing the Next Generation Science Standards
Date
Sep. 08, 2016
Duration
13 months
Description
WestEd is a nonprofit research and development agency that provides high-quality services in education, health and human services, and justice settings. Through conducting research and development programs, projects, and evaluations; providing training and technical assistance; and working with policymakers and practitioners at state and local levels to carry out large-scale school improvement and change efforts, WestEd is able to effectively move research into practice. This grant supports the development of a leadership framework for science education and non-science education leaders who guide the efforts to improve science education and implement higher standards, including those laid out in the Next Generation Science Standards. The framework will provide practical guidance for state, regional, and local educators charged with leading the implementation of new standards.
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Project Title
For support for the Investing in Innovation (i3) match for Making Sense of Science and Literacy: Improving Teacher Effectiveness and Building Capacity
Date
Mar. 05, 2015
Duration
12 months
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Project Title
For improving teacher effectiveness and building capacity
Date
Sep. 17, 2015
Duration
36 months
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Project Title
For support for the Investing in Innovation (i3) match for the Internet-based Reading Apprenticeship Improving Science Education (iRAISE) project
Date
Mar. 07, 2013
Duration
12 months
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Project Title
For a project to scale up content-area academic literacy for high need students
Date
Sep. 16, 2010
Duration
60 months
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Project Title
For transformative assessments for science
Date
Jun. 03, 2010
Duration
12 months
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Project Title
As a final grant toward strengthening a model of adolescent literacy acquisition
Date
Oct. 09, 2003
Duration
24 months