AAAS Forum 2000, Reforming Science and Mathematics Education for Urban Students: Progress and Problems

American Association For The Advancement Of Science, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The Forum for School Science, "Reforming Science and Mathematics in Urban Schools," will review the positive results of efforts to improve science and mathematics in urban schools. The discussions will move to persistent problems, those difficult issues (outlined in proposal) that urban districts face as they attempt to accomplish true systemwide reform that advances all students. Strategies to deal with these issues will be identified through presentations by individuals currently engaged in system-wide reform programs in urban districts and facilitated discussions among Forum participants. Funding from the NSF will allow AAAS to give 150 educators the opportunity to attend the Forum and AAAS Annual Meeting. This includes travel grants to at least 20 teams from around the U.S. and meeting registration for people in the Washington, DC area. We will encourage those local systems to send teams of educators and community members. Each team or individual applying for a grant must complete an appliation that includes demographic and some statistical information about their district and describes its plan to improve science and mathematics education for all students. The guidelines for the Urban Systemic Program outlined on the NSF web site will inform this part of the application. Each group or individual receiving support must sign a memorandum of understanding with AAAS agreeing to submit a report six months after the meeting that describes progress to achieve the goals outlined in its application or a refinement of the plan and indicates how the information/contacts from the Forum have informed this process. A year after the meeting, districts will submit another progress report that also presents plans/goals for the next year. In addition, AAAS staff will contact a representative from each team at least twice during the year to answer questions, provide information, etc. Team members will be encouraged to contact us at any time. AAAS will also award research grants of $1,050 each to ten districts to chronicle and analyze/reflect on their efforts to bring about change in their system. We will encourage participants to choose only one of the issues discussed at the Forum--professional development, getting all students to learn science and mathematics, partnerships, and restructuring--to center on for their analysis/actionr research. We will provide general guidelines for the research. Teams will apply for the research grants shortly after the Forum. It is important that they have time to consider what topic they would like to pursue and if they have the time and resources to do it. To apply for a research grant, a district team must describe the focus of the research and how it will be carried out. A simple budget should be included. There will be regular contact with AAAS. A paper that details the results of their research will be submitted at the end of the 2000-2001 school year. These paper will be shared with NSF and disseminated on the AAAS web site. We will provide NSF with periodic updates about the progress of teams.