Science Professional Development for Elk Grove 3rd-5th Grade Teachers!
eSCI (Excellence in Science Instruction) is a collaboration between the Elk Grove Unified School District and the Sacramento Area Science Project (SASP). It is being funded by the California Mathematics and Science Partnership (CaMSP) grant.
You are invited to participate in an exciting professional development project organized by EGUSD and the Sacramento Area Science Project. Earlier this year, EGUSD was awarded a sizable grant from the California Department of Education in order to provide professional development, in the area of science, to elementary teachers in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. The study will also research the impact of the professional development on student achievement. This grant allows teachers to receive compensation for attending professional development, monitor its impact on students, and conduct research on professional development with and for teachers.
Over 200 teachers are currently being recruiting to participate in the three-year research study, which is being conducted by an independent research firm. Half of the participating groups of teachers will be chosen at random into a treatment group and receive professional development services. These treatment teachers will receive a yearly $2,500 stipend for the additional time they spend conducting professional development, and an annual $100 classroom budget for science consumables. Half of the teachers will be randomly selected into the control group. The control group will not receive professional development, but will still receive the annual $100 classroom budget for their participation in the study. All participating teachers will provide data to researchers, including surveys, teaching observations, and student assessments.
The professional development offered by the Sacramento Area Science Project will address science content instruction and lesson study. The professional development institutes will focus on a different content area each year, starting with physical science, then earth science and concluding with life science. The tentative schedule for the professional development activities includes:
- Two-day Kick-Off Retreat, June 20 (4-8pm) & June 21 (8:30-3:30pm)
- Five-day Summer Institute, July 7 - 11 or (NEW: Four-day Summer Institute June 30 - July 3!)
- Monthly Lesson Design, August-May
- Three-day Winter Institute, January
- Additional professional development or make-up sessions, September-April
Teachers will benefit from participation in many ways:
- Professional development for teachers chosen at random
- $2,500 annual stipend for teachers chosen at random
- $100 annual classroom budget for science consumables for all teachers
- Release time for lesson planning for teachers chosen at random
- Technology support for teachers chosen at random
- Salary credit for all off-track professional development
Please complete the Intent to Participate document and return it to Raymond Pietersen in Curriculum and Professional Learning as soon as possible:
Send the completed document to:
Raymond Pieterson
9510 Elk Grove-Florin Road
Elk Grove, CA 95624
If you would like more information please contact Raymond Pietersen in Curriculum & Professional Learning
EGUSD (916) 686-7757 ext. 7407 or rpieters@egusd.net
