Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


California Districts To Pilot Next Gen Science Standards Professional Development

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 01/07/15

While districts are ramping up to prepare for online assessments based around the Common Core State Standards, some are also preparing for the Next Generation Science Standards. Eight school districts and two charter school organizations in California are participating in an early implementation initiative to begin development of a learning community for K-8.

The idea is to seed professional development among educators who can help others learn how to teach to the new science standards. The standards were completed in April 2013 and are just now beginning to be implemented in new curriculum throughout the country.

The California effort kicked off last August with a weeklong workshop in Southern California. Then for the next four years participants will develop and go through teacher and administrator leadership training and content- and pedagogy-focused professional development.

The group will form a "collaborative network" to share best practices and address the challenges that surface during the transition to the new standards. In addition, the intent is for participating education agencies to serve as "lab rats" for beta testing science standards-aligned curriculum, implementation tools and assessment items. What's learned through that process will be shared statewide.

The program is being led by the K-12 Alliance, a professional development program within WestEd, a nonprofit education research and development agency.

Participating districts encompass Galt, Kings Canyon, Lakeside, Oakland, Palm Springs, San Diego, Tracy and Vista. They'll be joined by charter organizations Aspire and High Tech High. Each district won its place through a competitive application process. The work is being funded by grants from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Double exposure image of coin stacks on technology financial graph background

    The Budget Cut that Changes Everything in K-12

    ESSER funding, the post-COVID lifeline that enabled many districts to invest in data collection and research, is coming to an end. For districts that relied on those dollars to conduct surveys and gather community feedback, the impact is significant.

  • blue wooden cubes block texture abstract background

    Gartner: Worldwide IT Spending Estimated at $6.31T for 2026

    According to a Gartner forecast, worldwide IT spending will total $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase from 2025. Sectors experiencing the largest growth include data center systems, software, and IT services.

  • Wi-Fi icon on dark blue circuit background

    FCC to Conduct 'Top-to-Bottom' Review of E-Rate Program

    The FCC is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive review of its E-Rate program, the federal initiative that provides K–12 schools and public libraries with discounts on internet, WiFi, and telecommunications services to ensure equitable digital access.

  • large cloud icon with abstract code and interconnected polygons

    Report: Enterprise AI Workloads Are Tipping Toward Private Cloud

    Broadcom's 2026 Private Coud Outlook report says enterprise AI is moving from experimentation into production, with private cloud emerging as the preferred deployment environment for AI inference among surveyed organizations.