Researching the Sustainability of Reform
RSR site reports and cross-site report
The Researching the Sustainability of Reform (RSR) project focused on the question of how to maintain the gains of an initial educational change process and support continuing reform over time. Within the broader study of sustainability, the research paid particular attention to systemwide approaches to science education reform as well as to the role that external funds can play in initiating reforms that are sustained. The research was conducted by CSE staff in collaboration with staff at the Caltech Pre-College Science Initiative (CAPSI) in Pasadena, Calif. This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and was directed by Dr. Jeanne Rose Century at EDC and Dr. Jerome Pine at CAPSI.
The goal of this study was to identify and document factors in school systems that contribute to sustained educational change in science education. The purpose was to provide districts now engaged in improving their science education programs and districts that are considering doing so in the future with information to help them more strategically and effectively build an infrastructure for long-term improvement.
Specifically, this study focused on nine communities with K–6 science education programs begun from nearly 10 to 30 years ago. These communities differed in their sources of funding as well as the longevity of their programs. This study investigated how, and the extent to which, these communities have sustained their science education programs and the factors that have contributed to this sustainability.
Through on-site interviews and observations, surveys, case studies, and document analysis, the study investigated the districts’ efforts in the following areas:
- Current status of the science program compared with initial goals
- System context and external conditions that have an impact on lasting change
- Strategies for achieving program goals and building district capacity to improve
- Contribution of practitioners to sustainability
- External funds as a catalyst for widespread, lasting reform
The findings of the research include nine descriptive site summaries and a cross-site report. The site summaries were designed primarily to provide the reader with a description of the origins, implementation, and evolution of each of the nine science programs. They also offer a brief analytic section that is designed to provide the reader with a bridge to the cross-site report. The cross-site report draws from all nine sites to identify common themes and recurring issues relevant to sustainability. It is primarily analytic while offering concrete supporting examples drawn from the nine sites. The cross-site report also includes suggested strategies for other districts wishing to analyze and improve their science education reform efforts.
The nine site reports and the cross-site report are available in PDF format by clicking below.
Note: All reports are in pdf format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open. To download the Reader software free, go to http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
Bayview
Benton
Bolton
Garden City
Glenwood
Hudson
Lakeville
Montview
Sycamore
CROSS-SITE Executive Summary
CROSS-SITE Complete
For more information on this project, please contact Abigail Jurist Levy at alevy@edc.org.
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9805078.
Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).