Over the course of six years, a diverse group of school districts and charter management organizations in California ran a substantial experiment in implementing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in elementary and middle grades. WestEd led an extensive evaluation of that effort, the California K-8 NGSS Early Implementers Initiative,…

NGSS Early Implementers is a six-year initiative created to help eight California school districts and two charter management organizations, supported by WestEd's K-12 Alliance, implement the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Administrators need learning opportunities if they are to adequately understand the substantial shifts of the Next…

In 2008, University of California, Irvine (UCI) Libraries launched their first Find Science Information online tutorial. It was an innovative web-based tool, containing not only informative content but also interactive activities, embedded hyperlinked resources, and reflective quizzes, all designed primarily to educate undergraduate science…

Despite the expressed need for high-quality science education, very little research has been conducted on what middle school science learning opportunities look like in practice. This study was conducted in support of "Strengthening Science Education in California", a research, policy, and communications initiative. Partners in this…

This article summarizes the continuous latent trait IRT approach to skills diagnosis as particularized by a representative variety of continuous latent trait models using item response functions (IRFs). First, several basic IRT-based continuous latent trait approaches are presented in some detail. Then a brief summary of estimation, model…

In this important resource, Dr. Fleming (a noted expert in the field of minority retention) draws on educational evaluations she has developed in the course of her distinguished career. This book analyzes the common factors and the role institutional characteristics play in minority student retention to show what really works in increasing…

Central California Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Fresno Unified School District cooperate to promote teacher education and use of SPCA materials in the classrooms. Timing, key persons, building/maintaining contact, teacher involvement, and mutual understanding, which have been important in this productive partnership,…

This booklet documents, in words and pictures, the Environmental Living Program. This program, which has been in operation since 1969, provides overnight living experiences for elementary and secondary school students at cultural, historic, or prehistoric sites. The sites are National and State parks and private sites in California and Arizona.…

Describes an individualized multi-activity, lab-oriented science course designed for the junior high that remedies the problem of equipment and material shortage as well as providing maximum student and teacher involvement. (BR)

This directory provides descriptions of marine academic programs in California's community colleges, 4-year private colleges and universities, and 4-year public colleges and universities. Each program listing (by institution) includes; (1) program title corresponding to official degree title; (2) degree(s) offered; (3) descriptive information…

Traces the early history of geological education in California universities, with emphasis upon programs at Berkeley and Stanford. Among the pioneers in the field were Joseph LeConte, Andrew C. Lawson, and John C. Branner. (WB)

This document is a directory of residential outdoor and environmental education programs in California. For the purposes of the directory, a residential outdoor/residential education program is defined as one which is in operation for at least three days and two nights; the curricular emphasis is on natural science instruction in an outdoor…

Discusses problems reflecting the crisis in education, presenting general approaches for resolving the problems. Also discusses the California Earthquake Education Project (CALEEP), a program which provides education of current concern (including personal emergency preparedness) to the public. CALEEP activities are successful due to many social,…

Describes the formation and organization of a statewide energy consortium consisting of faculty from 19 campuses of the California State University and Colleges system. Also describes three major consortium activities and reasons for its success. (SK)

Describes the implementation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration SEEDS Project in a sixth-grade class in Turlock, California. Describes student activities and media coverage surrounding the project. (MDH)