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Overview

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

National

Legacy of Leadership


Find our more about the collaborative contributions from California leaders, including the K-12 Alliance, in driving implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards as featured in:

The Future of California Science: A Story of Leadership, Collaboration, and Legacy

Our Activities

Curated timeline of significant science education activities, partnerships, and service of the K-12 Alliance

present

Continuing Work

Continuing advocacy, innovation, and building of partnerships to advance high quality, equitable, science education teaching and learning in California and the nation

2020

Virtual NextGen TIME

K-12 Alliance partners with BSCS for the development, field test, and pilot of virtual NextGen TIME

2019

NGSS Learning Sequences

The K-12 Alliance begins releasing designed-for-NGSS learning sequences for grades K-8

2018

CA NGSS TIME

K-12 Alliance leads the CA NGSS Collaborative in customizing NextGen TIME for California (CA NGSS TIME)

2018

Instructional Materials Adoption

16 K-12 Alliance trained educators serve on the California Science Instructional Materials Adoption committee

2018

OpenSciEd

K-12 Alliance becomes the official California partner for OpenSciEd, collaborating on scope and sequence, design specifications, instructional model, and leading professional learning and support for the California field test

2017

NextGen TIME

K-12 Alliance partners with BSCS and Achieve to create NextGen TIME (Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation)

2016

Distinguished Contributions

K-12 Alliance is the recipient of the CASE Distinguished Contributions award for work advancing NGSS in California

2016

Science Collaboration Committee

K-12 Alliance joins the California Science Collaboration Committee which would support the California Partnership for Math and Science Education

2015

CFCC Committee

K-12 Alliance trained educators serve on the California Curriculum Framework Criteria Committee to create the California Science Framework. K-12 Alliance is a contributing author and public reviewer

2014

Early Implementers

K-12 Alliance launches the CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative, a fast-start demonstration project to build 8 school districts’ and 2 charter management organizations’ capacity to fully implement the NGSS K-8

2014

State Implementation Plan

K-12 Alliance facilitates the NGSS Systems Implementation Plan for California Science

2013

CA NGSS Collaborative

K-12 Alliance joins the California Department of Education, California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, California Science Project, California Science Teachers Association to launch the CA NGSS Collaborative and promote best practices for NGSS implementation statewide

2013

CA Adoption NGSS

K-12 Alliance facilitates the California Science Expert Panel for the adoption of the NGSS

•  •  •  •  •  •  •  pre-NGSS  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  

More than 20 years of networking and implementation of high quality science education in California and the nation

Est. 1987

K12 Alliance

California Science Implementation Network (CSIN, started in 1987), NSF funded State Systemic Initiative (started in 1992), NSF funded Science Partnership for Articulation and Networking (started in 1997), and Scope, Sequence and Coordination programs (started in 1989) merge and become the K-12 Alliance