Our History

Grounded in a research-based theory of change, the K-12 Alliance has provided high-quality professional learning in science and mathematics since 1987. This work has taken place in California, [e.g., CA NGSS Early Implementer Initiative (2014-2020); Ca Math Science Partnerships (CaMSP) (2003-2015), NSF funded programs including the California State Systemic Initiative (CAMS) 1992-1997; Science Partnerships for Articulation and Networking, (SPAN) 1997-2000; Center for Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CAESL) 2000-2005]; and on a national level (e.g., Five Tools and Processes in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History and BSCS, and NextGen TIME in collaboration with Achieve and BSCS).

The K-12 Alliance is a WestEd Science and Engineering program. A merger of the former California Science Implementation Network (CSIN), Science Partnerships for Articulation and Networking (SPAN), and Scope, Sequence, & Coordination (SS&C) programs, the K-12 Alliance has impacted more than 6000 schools, 175,000 teachers, and millions of K-12 students. It is cited as an exemplary professional development program in the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse document, Science Education Programs That Work; the National Staff Development Council document, Result-Based Professional Development Programs for Middle Grades; and in the book, Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics. The K-12 Alliance has also partnered with teacher leaders to create designed-for-NGSS learning sequences K-8, including the 8th grade sequence, Understanding White Sharks, which earned the NGSS Design Badge, an award for top-rated science units for NGSS by the independent EQuIP Peer Review Panel.

K-12 Alliance staff, teacher leaders, and administrative leaders have been recognized for their contributions to science and math education as district Teachers of the Year, National Presidential Awardees in elementary and secondary teaching, and the California Association of Science Educators (CASE)'s Distinguished Service Awards, Teacher Leadership Award, and the Administrator Leadership Award. They have also contributed to setting statewide science policy from 1990 to the present through their ongoing work with California Science Content Standards (1990, 1998 and 2013), the California Science Framework (1990, 2002, and 2016), the California Science Expert Panel (2013), California’s NGSS State Systemic Implementation Plan (2014), the CA NGSS Collaborative (2013-present), the California Partnership for Math and Science Education (Science Community of Practice, 2016-present) and the K-8 Early Implementation Initiative (2014-2020). K-12 Alliance participants have also served on the instructional materials review panels since the early 1990s for both science and mathematics.

The K-12 Alliance Regional Directors received WestEd's Paul Hood Award for a team's Outstanding Contribution to the Field. Nominated by WestEd colleagues, this award was given in 2008 for the years of service the K-12 Alliance has provided to state and national science and math education programs.

Many state and national programs have sought out the K-12 Alliance as a partner. Some examples include:

State

• Cal Alive!
• Cal Water Challenge
• California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI)
• California Partnership for Math and Science Education (CAPMSE)
• CISC/Genetech: It's All About the Electron
• Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI)
• FOSS Leadership Academy
• UC/CSU Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Summit (ECCLPS)

National

• BSCS/WestEd National Academy for Curriculum Leadership (NACL)
• COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative
• Center for the Assessment and Evaluation of Student Learning (CASEL)
• Disney Planet Challenge
• National Academy for Science and Mathematics Education Leadership (NASMEL)
• NextGen Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME)
• Using Data Project (UDP)