fernbank-blue-ribbon-task-force-final-report

• Use technology in sharing terrific teaching through the system • Require mastery of science before promoting students The Subcommittee working on programming and instruction finds many

Fernbank Science Center Blue Ribbon Task Force

This final report contains strong recommendations The two dozen people who sat down to this job almostexactly a year ago share many of Fernbank’s admirable characteristics They are thorough, committed, bright and questioning Yet the job of defining the future of this wonderful place was complex We did notsucceed in creating a blueprint for its future It frustrated many of us We found:

1) The Science Center critically needs attention, oversight and support from school administrators and the public

2) We struggle to find basic documents about the Science Center’s finances, lease agreements and

teaching arrangements The methods of record keeping and the records themselves seem opaque 3) The talent and dedication of the faculty is dimmed by conflicting missions and leadership

We support several ideas better to align the Science Center with your goal of improving science educationthroughout Premier DeKalb County Schools The immediate changes to polish the gem that is Fernbank include:

• A dramatic increase in the number of students offered the premiere class, Scientific Tools and Techniques, for school year 2006-2007, to demonstrate commitment to greater access and

revamping middle school science teaching

• Use technology in sharing terrific teaching through the system

• Require mastery of science before promoting students

The Subcommittee working on programming and instruction finds many nagging problems at Fernbank Science Center consistent with lack of funding, conflicting missions and oversight Maintenance, the future of the forest, bus schedules, and poor follow-through from classroom teachers figure in the

problems we found But perhaps most discouraging was our difficulty clarifying and evaluating what Fernbank Science Center actually does, and who its target populations are (See page 14 of attached report.)

The remaining three subcommittees struggled with similar issues They did not choose to create reports

We have great admiration for the staff and faculty at Fernbank, and offer particular thanks to Ann Johnsonfor her friendly diligence in recording, transcribing and making sense of long meetings She was careful and successful in her work Your staff made our job easier Thank you for meeting with us twice, and sending us so many highly placed administration leaders to help us

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview letter to Superintendent Crawford Lewis

• History of Committee and procedure

• Subcommittee members, assignments and addresses

• Final Report, Subcommittee One

• Notes from Subcommittee Two

• Serious Issues from Subcommittee Three

• Subcommittee Four: from Committee minutes

“study the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Science Program, including Fernbank Science Center’s programs, activities and facilities, with the goal of making recommendations to improve science education throughout the entire school system, P-12, over the next 10 years.

Early meetings, in April, June and July, 2005 were led by Director Mac Sudduth, who encouraged

conversation by staff members about the work of the Science Center In August, 2005, a small number of committee members assembled and divided their task into four sub-committees Sally Sears was also chosen to be the chairman of the executive committee, subject to a vote by the full committee at the September meeting

The subcommittees and their leadership are:

• Instruction and Programming, led by Fannie Tartt and Page Olsen

• Buildings and Facilities, chaired by Bruce McDonald and Tim Carssow

• Institutional Advancement, chaired by Sandra Spruill and Laraine Tomassi

• Access and Outreach, led by Sharon Riviere and Gustavia Evans

The chairmanships were subsequently unanimously endorsed at the September meeting, as was the selection of Ms Sears as executive committee chair

The subcommittee chairs agreed at the September meeting to establish their own regular meetings, and report to the whole committee at monthly intervals During the fall and winter, 2005-2006, the groups met

in various parts of the county, including at Arabia Mountain with Superintendent Crawford Lewis and at another meeting of the committee chairs at Arabia Mountain with DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones Several members of the Board of Education, and several members of the DeKalb County Commission joined various meetings

In February Subcommittee One began firming its recommendations Several meetings for writing and analysis followed, and their conclusions are attached

Subcommittee Two met in the fall several times They report being hampered in their work by budgeting complexities at the county level Ultimately they agreed the School Board and the Administration need to

resolve questions about the relationship between the Science Center and the Fernbank Museum of NaturalHistory Some early minutes are attached.

Subcommittee Three’s chairwomen held several meetings They chose not to plan any further meetings because of serious problems which they identified as legal issues Their conclusions are attached

Subcommittee Four met regularly in late summer and fall They found an urgent need to expand the Science Center’s offerings to many more students, and have extensive plans for how to alert parents and school administrators of the programs at the Science Center As of Monday, April 17, 2006, at close of business, Subcommittee Four has no report in writing In lieu of a written report, some minutes from Task Force fall meetings are attached

Subcommittee 1 Programming & Instruction Chairs: Dr Fannie Tartt, Page Olson

Members: Ralph Buice

Ralph Cordell Rachel Fiore

Joyce Gamble

Doug Hrabe

Marlene MacLeish Pat Marsteller Aneli Nugteren Ken Townsel Larry Wilson Subcommittee 2 Facilities & Equipment, or Building & Land, or Money, Budget: What do we have, what do we need? Chairs: Bruce MacGregor, Tim Carssow

Members: Ralph Cordell

Members: Jenice Brinkley

Joyce Gamble Marlene MacLeish

Aneli Nugteren

Philippi Snow

Members and leaders self-chosen & approved Sept 28, 2005

Members of the Committee Chair: William Mac Sudduth

Director, Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

678-874-7119

mail to:mac.sudduth@fernbank.edu ]mac.sudduth@fernbank.edu

District 1- Chip Franzoni

Home email: brucemac@earthlink.net

District 3-Sarah Copelin Wood

mail to:bltnk@earthlink.net ]bltnk@earthlink.net.

District 5-Frances Edwards

District 6-Simone Manning Moon

District 8- Cassandra M Anderson

District 9 –Elizabeth Andrews

Sandra Hill Spruill

Director, Office of Science Education

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MS K-29

4770 Buford Highway Atlanta, GA 30341

mail to:rzc4@cdc.gov ]rzc4@cdc.gov

770-488-6109

Fax 770-488-6191

Commissioner Larry L Johnson

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

Manuel Maloof Administration Building

J McDowell (Mac) Platt

Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive NE

Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive NE

Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

678-874-7128

mail to:david.dundee@fernbank.edu

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Ms Susan Neugent

President and CEO

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Chief Operating Officer

Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive, NE

Atlanta, GA 30307

678-874-7126

mail to:ralph.buice@fernbank.edu

Ann Johnson

Fernbank Science Center

156 Heaton Park Drive, NE

Blue Ribbon Committee on Fernbank Science Center

and P-12 Science Curriculum Programming and Instruction Team Working Recommendation March 19, 2006

Dr Lewis’ Charge to the Committee

Superintendent Crawford Lewis’ plan for a premier DeKalb County School System calls for leadership, data analysis, accountability, customer service, access/equity and training as the keys to achieving the goals of a premier school system The achievement gap between Caucasian and Asian students and Hispanic and African American students in CRCT scores and other indicators is the most serious

challenge

Dr Lewis’ overall charge to the committee studying Fernbank Science Center’s future was to study the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM Science Program, including Fernbank Science Center’s

programs, activities and facilities, with the goal of making recommendations to improve science

education throughout the entire school system, P-12, over the next 10 years

Dr Lewis further charged the committee to identify or determine:

• What DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM does well and should continue or expand

• What DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM could improve, particularly through better utilization of expertise at Fernbank Science Center

• Best practices DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM ought to be doing

• The role Fernbank Science Center shall play in helping to make DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOLSYSTEM a Premier System

Executive Summary and Primary Recommendations

1 DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM will increase science achievement for all P-12 students by:

• Enhancing teacher quality

• Raising expectations for all stakeholders

• Demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps

The Committee recommends ensuring that all students are exposed to challenging courses in science steeped in the excitement of inquiry

2 To increase student achievement, changes are needed in:

• Science teacher preparation

• Professional development

• P-12 science courses and curricula

Extra support should be provided for students who need it to reach the higher expectations

3 To change practices and policies to increase student achievement, the following are needed:

• Better teaching quality

• Appropriate resources, materials and curriculum units for all schools

• More rigorous science courses that are successfully completed by P-12 students

• Easily available extra assistance for students who do not meet science standards

4 There are several key challenges and issues with respect to Science Education The most important

of these is the achievement gap in standardized testing scores between Caucasian and Asian students, and Hispanic and African American students A summary of this situation follows

The county’s public school enrollment is 77% African American, 7% Hispanic, 10% Caucasian, 3% AsianAmerican and 2% multiracial or other Even in the first grade, only 19% of Hispanic students and 32% of

African American students exceed the standards compared to 72% of Caucasians In third grade science

25% of African American students and 42 % of Hispanic students do not meet standards while only 6% ofCaucasian students do not meet CRCT (Criterion Referenced Competency Tests, a Georgia test) The students’ performances worsen the longer they are in the school system By 7th grade 34% of African American, 47% of Hispanics and 11% of Caucasian students do not meet science standards End of course tests in biology and physical sciences and first time pass rates on the GHSGT (Georgia High School Graduation Test) show even more severe performance differences Closer study of disaggregated data suggests that part of these differences may be due to socioeconomic factors and, for some, limited

English proficiency

The pace of change in knowledge and our growing understanding of how people learn demand that those entering the science teaching professions constantly renew their skills in content and pedagogy The National Science Board (NSB, 1999) called for national standards for quality materials and instruction formathematics and science Students who regularly attend museums and science centers are vastly more prepared for mathematics and science understanding The NSB report suggests that real-world inter-disciplinary problems must serve as the foundation for challenging courses that prepare students for life and for a college education

The National Research Council’s Committee on Science and Mathematics Teacher Preparation 2001 report calls for new kinds of partnerships to achieve the vision of improving teacher education and the teaching profession True partnerships are required, where teachers and scientists work together to create significant changes in the modes of instruction, recruitment and lifelong education for the teaching profession For students to succeed and be well-prepared for careers in science and science teaching, colleges and universities must partner with administrators, teachers and school districts to align science content P-12 and to share responsibility for creating a continuum of teacher professional development from teacher preparation, induction and continued renewal The report recognizes the benefits and the challenges to forming successful long-term partnerships between scientists and classroom teachers Fortunately, for DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM students there currently exists a strong

relationship between the Fernbank scientists and science educators and many of the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM classroom teachers

5 Fernbank Science Center is essential to making DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM a premier

school system It provides opportunities that cannot be duplicated in the schools, some of which

include the planetarium, electron microscopes, the Scientific Tools and Techniques Program (STT), access to a large old-growth forest, students’ exhibits, community partnerships, Family Life Room, and offerings at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History

6 Fernbank Science Center also provides exceptional leadership in teaching and designing curricula for science courses

The Primary Mission of Fernbank Science Center

To achieve the greatest impact, the Blue Ribbon Committee believes that the primary mission of FernbankScience Center should be to:

Assist DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM educators in raising student achievement as measured by the Criterion Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT), Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), End of Course Tests (EOCT) and the Georgia High School Graduation Test In addition, Fernbank Science Center teachers should demonstrate excellence in the programs and the outreach services and by teaching students and teachers through exceptionally well- developed and content-rich “hands-on” classes

The revised mission to consider: These thoughts are based on the discussion Wednesday

Fernbank Science Center will cultivate, through current ideas, methods, and technologies, an

understanding and wonder of science, first to the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM students and teachers, and then to the extended community Fernbank Science Center will assist DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM educators in raising student achievement, as measured in national and state tests, by demonstrating excellence in the programs and outreach services through teaching

exceptionally well-developed, content-rich “hands-on” classes.

{I have tried to incorporate all of the thoughts from yesterday If we cannot agree to a stated

mission then my suggestion is that we recommend that the County create a new mission

incorporating each of these thoughts into it I’ll just list each one separately and then follow, as already written, the existing mission for reference.}

As a matter of reference the current mission statement of Fernbank Science Center is as follows:

“The mission of Fernbank Science Center, a unique science resource of the DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM and our extended community, is to cultivate an understanding of science and foster a sense of wonder about the natural world by creating a learning environment that

incorporates current ideas, methods and technologies.”

Issues Currently Facing DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

• Perception and/or reality that some schools do not receive an equitable distribution of resources

or their fair share of science support

• Lack of emphasis on science by schools, with a preferential focus on reading, math, etc

• Schools are not adequately funded for science instruction Schools often lack key science

• Most middle school science programs do not adequately prepare most students to qualify for the premier Scientific Tools and Techniques program.

• The science curriculum varies considerably from school to school This presents a challenge for the many students who move from one school to another mid-term and from one year to the next (Another task force has noted that most student movement in DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM occurs between schools, rather than from outside to inside DeKalb county)

• Some elementary schools lack a dedicated location for science instruction

• Schools can benefit from more outreach programs

transportation problems limit access to Fernbank Science Center

• A lack of enough Advanced Placement science courses stifles high-level inquiry

• DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM should improve its utilization of existing higher

education and non-profit resources for science education

performance

The Blue Ribbon Committee’s Vision for DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

Rapid, accelerating advances in science and the increasing demands of our knowledge-based society demand that all students know and understand science deeply to be able to make decisions and excel in the 21st Century workplace A scientifically prepared workforce is a critical goal for DeKalb County To engage, challenge and prepare this diverse workforce, DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM must ensure that:

• All students have access to educational opportunities

• Special efforts are made to identify performance gaps

• Remedies such as extra assistance, tutoring, etc are provided

We believe that the most important advantage points for changing practices and policies to increase student achievement are:

• Improving teaching quality (Darling-Hammond, 1997)

• Providing resources, materials and curriculum units for all schools

• Increasing the number of challenging science courses P-12 students successfully complete (www.edtrust.org)

• Providing extra assistance for all students who are not meeting standards

To achieve these goals, we recommend the following:

1 The District must raise expectations and achievement in science in P- 12 schools, while closing achievement gaps among demographic groups by requiring demonstrated mastery of science concepts before passing into higher grades This should accompany traditional steps for testing for English and Math, at grades 3, 5, and 8

2 The system will provide science remediation for all students who are not meeting standards, as well as summer school programs and other effective teaching methods for students who do not meet or exceed science standards in grades 3, 5 and 8

3 Every teacher should be fully aware of the Georgia Performance Standards and should use them

to develop lessons for students

4 The District shall seek every avenue to raise the awareness of students, parents, and the

community of the need for all P-12 students to complete challenging courses and curricula in science

5 The District and each principal shall make sure there are challenging science curricula and materials for all students in each school Each elementary, middle and high school should be adequately equipped to teach the recommended science

6 DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM administrators will hold principals and teachers accountable for improvement in science education by including science test scores and

instruction in each school’s Improvement Plan

7 Principals and teachers not using Fernbank Science Center’s expertise should document their reasons for non-utilization to County administrators

8 Elementary school science shall be taught every day through inquiry and hands-on experiences Science can also be taught through reading about science Quantitative skills and mathematics classes use science applications

9 DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM should research and evaluate how science should best

be taught in the elementary grades Schools clearly need help deciding whether

departmentalization, lab specialists or other methods of elementary science teaching provide a better vehicle for science instruction than current site-based decisions

10 Middle school science teachers shall be certified to teach the science that they are charged with Every middle school science teacher has taken classes in the content and in content-based pedagogy

11 We encourage the county to require half of all eighth grade teachers, with their administrators’ support, to prepare their students for admission into STT This would be roughly 3,500 studentswho are fully prepared for studies at the science center if chosen

12 Encourage parental involvement in middle school for students seeking admission to Scientific Tools and Techniques, giving parents options on how to be involved

13 All high schools should offer a full complement of Honors and AP science courses and all college preparatory track students should take at least three Every school has AP certified teachers.

14 DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM should offer summer and academic-year enrichment experiences for high-achieving students, as well as extra assistance for all students who need Advanced Placement programs in Science

15 Long–term substitute teachers shall also be certified to teach the science that they are charged with teaching

16 Lab classes are limited to 24 students per lab

17 Periodic documented visits to schools should be made to observe science instruction made by

various levels of the administration

18 Over the next 10 years, the District shall study alternative approaches such as learning circles, academies and lesson study that ameliorate the effects of large schools and shall find

alternatives to overcrowding in many schools

19 The District shall provide high-quality mentoring and professional development for in-service teachers through content update courses, research experiences, National Board certification and advanced placement preparation Individual professional development plans will enable all teachers to continually renew content and pedagogy DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

will provide paid professional development over and above the current standard for science teachers

20 Staff development should be designed to support content and Georgia Performance Standard experiences and incentives should be structured to encourage increased participation

21 DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM shall build partnerships with colleges and university faculty to research effective practices in science instruction, prepare teachers and

provide professional development opportunities College partners should work closely with teachers, administrators and guidance counselors to ensure that all students are aware of and prepared for the high expectations of college level work

Goals and Strategies for DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

The following goals and strategies are directed to increasing student achievement in Science in Grades

P-12 while closing achievement gaps among demographic groups

Goal 1: STUDENTS: Require demonstrated mastery of science concepts before promotion This

should accompany traditional steps for testing in English and Math in grades 3, 5 and 8

1 The District and each principal shall ensure that there are challenging science curricula and materials

for all students Each elementary, middle and high school should be adequately equipped to teach the recommended science The district should ensure that there is equitable distribution of funds for materials,

supplies and equipment The Division of Instruction should prepare and budget for a standard list of

equipment for each grade level or subject and a standard minimum budget for each science class for supplies to teach adequately

2 The DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM website should contain exceptional materials and units

for each science course, created by teachers and reviewed by pedagogy experts with multiple choices of units for each major concept so teachers can adopt materials to their students and classrooms These presentations should be interactive and aligned with the Georgia Performance Objectives

3 The DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM website should contain information for each science

program offered at Fernbank Science Center in a central area so that parents and teachers can easily find these resources

4 Kits, activities, vignettes, mini DVD/CD’s should be developed and available for checkout correlated

to objectives on all required tests in science (CRCT; EOCT; GHSGT)

5 The District and Principals shall implement vertical teams in the elementary, middle, and high school levels with partnered colleges and universities to align content and pedagogy, goals and

objectives for courses A goal of 90% passing rate for students in the science portion of the GHSGT and

End of Course Tests in science is what we shall be working towards

6 In fact, by refocusing on P-12 through vertical teaming, science test scores should improve at every

level

7 The District and each Principal shall provide opportunities for teachers to develop curricula that focus

on investigative modules, problem-based learning (PBL) and other inquiry based strategies to strengthen research and process skills

8 The District shall raise student achievement by providing summer and academic year enrichment

experiences for high-achieving students and remediation opportunities for students deemed at risk in science

9 The District should seek every avenue to raise the awareness of students, parents, and the community

of the need for all P-12 students to complete challenging courses and curricula in science

10 Parent centers shall be equipped with science books and experiments that parents can have access to

when needed Parent centers can have Saturday enrichment activities in science