Five years ago educators in the Nooksack Valley School District wanted to see improvements with their science instruction. In an effort to make this happen, they formed partnerships with LASER, the Northwest LASER Alliance, and the North Cascade Olympic Science Partnership (NCOSP). Their decision to form outside partnerships proved successful, as evident with higher science WASL scores. Below is an excerpt from the 2009 February LASER newsletter that highlights those scores and the districts successes. 

In 2005-2006, Nooksack Valley High School had 26.1% of their students pass the science WASL. Last year, 47.6% of the students passed. Similar results are found in the middle school where 38.3% of their students passed in 2005-2006, and last year, they had 58.7% of the students pass.

LASER assists school districts with implementing a research based science program. One of the first steps the Nooksack Valley District took toward achieving an improved science program was to come up with a plan. The district wrote their first science plan at the LASER Strategic Planning Institute (SPI) five years ago. The plan detailed implementation of an inquiry based curriculum, professional development and instruction for teachers, and the adoption of new science materials. And with support from a district science coordinator, funded by a LASER grant from OSPI, the program continues to work toward improved achievement in science.

Co-Directors of LASER, Jeff Estes of Battelle, and Dennis Schatz of Pacific Science Center, said “These results emphasize that no one program, organization, or institution can make a quality science program a reality everywhere in the state. It takes many individuals and centers of excellence over a sustained period of time to ensure all students have the opportunity to learn and become excited about science.”

The partnerships have proven effective in helping the district meet its goals overall. And with Washington facing a shortage of students who pursue science related degrees in college—degrees that educate students for high demand 21st Century careers—it’s important to recognize the successes of outside partnerships.