System-Building in an Urban School District

• In Event: System-Building to Improve Access, Quality, and Equity in Elementary Science

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze system-building for elementary science instruction in a large, diverse, urban public school district (USD).

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework
The paper leverages the analytic framework detailed in the symposium overview, which focuses on five domains of work in central offices and schools aimed at improving instructional quality and reducing disparities.

Modes of Inquiry
This paper was developed within the embedded, comparative case study design detailed in the symposium overview.

Data/Analysis
This paper focuses on USD: a large, urban public school district serving over 100,000 students, more than 70% of whom are students of color. We focus specifically on a comprehensive, K-6, NGSS-aligned science initiative being piloted in 35% of USD’s elementary schools.

Within the comprehensive dataset and analysis plan described in the overview, this paper draws on:

● Observations of three district-level professional development sessions focused on introducing the district-level science program; supporting the use of a new, early-grade science unit; and developing teachers’ capabilities to use design thinking to adapt the unit in their classroom contexts.
● 12 interviews with the district-level science team (n=3), technology support for science development (n=2), senior central office leaders (n=2), and other district-level content area and supplemental service leads (n=5).
● A sample of artifacts that included documents detailing district demographics and priorities; curriculum materials for use by teachers; and associated professional development materials.

Results
The prioritization of elementary science in USD is being driven by a combination of state accountability, a local economy heavily dependent on the technology sector, and equity concerns with STEM course-taking and careers.

The centerpiece of USD’s system-building effort is centrally designed educational infrastructure that coordinates 3D learning with the 5E instructional model; embeds this instructional design in a comprehensive, web-based, K-6 instructional program; and complements the preceding with efforts to develop a culture of possibility and responsibility for ambitious science learning among diverse elementary school students.

In developing this infrastructure, the central office design team manages a core set of environmental relationships to ensure alignment with the NGSS, state accountability requirements, family and community culture, and research-based assessment practices.

The central office design team supports the practical use of this infrastructure with large-scale, online professional learning synchronized with the launch of each unit, as well as by embedding detailed guidance for use in the materials themselves.

It also supports use through the development of additional instructional leadership capabilities beyond the central office design team, with a particular focus on building principals and science content-areas specialists.

In managing performance, the central office design places a primary focus on continuous improvement, though mechanisms for monitoring classroom-level implementation and leveraging classroom-level adaptations are still in the early stages of development.

Significance
The case of USD both evidences the usefulness of the project’s analytic framework for examining and representing system-building for science instruction, and it provides an existence proof of the possibility of urban districts organizing to support ambitious elementary science instruction at a large scale.

Author

• Anna Foster, University of Michigan