Three-year Program Overview

Year One
The First Year of the ACADEMY program focuses on the selection of instructional materials that align with the team's vision of science education. Selecting materials involves more than looking at the topics covered, reading level, and graphics in a textbook. Selection includes analyzing instructional materials based on how they align with standards and research. For example, teams ask the question, how do the instructional materials support the learning and teaching of science as inquiry? During year one, teams establish criteria for selection, complete an evidence-based selection process, make a decision based on the results, and finally, recommend the purchase of new instructional materials.

Year Two
The Second Year of the ACADEMY program focuses on the various aspects of implementing new instructional materials. In the implementation stage, leadership teams focus on designing professional development opportunities to support teachers' use of new instructional materials. Implementation goes beyond purchasing or learning how to manage new materials. Effective and sustained implementation requires building a professional development infrastructure for ongoing teacher support and feedback. This infrastructure should integrate the knowledge and beliefs of teachers with research on how students learn science, and with the resources in the materials themselves.

Year Three
The Third Year of the ACADEMY program focuses on sustainability. During this year, teams focus on evaluating the impact of the professional development program and the curriculum on students, teachers, and the school community. Based on the information collected, teams revise their professional development program. Leadership Teams continue to learn strategies to support teachers' effective implementation of the instructional materials.