2010 is the year of Science in Indiana! Only 60% of Indiana K-12 students pass ISTEP+ and meet the expectations set by our state science standards. Now is the time for our schools across the state to adopt research-based curricular materials, provide appropriate professional development, hire highly qualified teachers, and use ISTEP+ and other formative and summative assessments to evaluate progress. This website will be your one stop resource for all updates and communications regarding the Indiana Science Initiative.

Find out why Indiana science reform is a priority.

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This problem impacts all Indiana residents and businesses - find out how you can help!

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Stay up to date with what people are saying and contribute your own ideas!

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Indiana Workforce

Almost 400,000 people in Indiana are employed in the life and health sciences industry. Whether they work in a hospital, a lab or in a manufacturing operation, they all need a strong preparation in K-12 science to qualify for the post-secondary training required in this sector.

Science-related occupations, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, LPNs, scientists, surgical technologists, dental hygienists, and physicians, are on the Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs list for every region and are needed everywhere in the state.

Indiana Education

Only 60% of Indiana K-12 students pass ISTEP and meet the expectations set by our state science standards and those results are not showing improvement.

2010 -11 represents a critical window for science education reform in Indiana because new curricular materials will be adopted in 2011 that will be used for the next six years. Indiana must broadly adopt those curricular materials that are backed by research that demonstrates their effectiveness.

Inquiry-based curriculum requires the use of hands-on materials so that students can perform experiments in the classroom and learn by doing rather than lecture. Distributing and refurbishing these kits represents another logistical challenge for most districts.

Science teachers will need to learn how to utilize these new curricular materials through participation in widely available intensive professional development.

What is the Plan?

In working with the National Science Resource Center (NSRC), Indiana Life Science partners have formed the Indiana Strategic Planning Committee for Science Education and have developed a plan for science education reform. The model is based on research supporting the benefits of inquiry-based instruction, which allows students to explore and problem solve to develop deep knowledge and understanding of concepts, not just in science but every academic subject. In the classroom, students are engaged and excited as they work on science explorations independently and in collaboration with their peers.

In February 2010, a summit was held at Eli Lilly and Company to kick off the reform effort in Indiana and to introduce Indiana's plan for implementation in school districts across the state. Regional meetings have taken place and committees have formed to establish the pilot program in their school districts. Each region is reaching out to their stakeholders to become advocates for the reform. It is important to engage all areas of the spectrum so that the plan is successful in all regions.

Indiana's Science Education Strategic Plan partners include: Indiana Department of Education (I-DOE), Indiana Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (I-STEM) Resource Network, BioCrossroads and Eli Lilly and Company. To join in the effort and to learn more about how you can become an advocate, visit www.indianascience.org.

Regional Meetings - Round 2
Locations and Times

Region 1 - March 15th Time: 3:00 - 4:30PM Administrator Meeting - March 16th Time: 7:30 - 9:00AM Location: University of Southern Indiana Contact: Shelly Blunt	Region 2 - March 30th and April 7th Columbus Administrator Meeting - March 30th, 3:30PM Location: 1200 Central Avenue Vevay Administrator Meeting - April 7th, 1:00PM Location: 1020 West Main Street Contact: Bob Abrams
Region 3 - TBD Contact: Valerie Buchanan	Region 4 - TBD Contact: Gay Worth
Region 5 - March 17th Time: 1:30 - 3:00PM Administrator Meeting - March 17th Time: 9:00 - 10:30AM Location: Wabash Valley ESC Contact: Tami Hicks	Region 6 - April 14th Time: 2:00-4:00PM Location: Region 6 NWI Education Service Center Administrator Meeting - March 24th Time: 10:00AM Location: Merrillville High School Contact: Carrie Cate-Clements

There is Good News

Indiana has the capacity to make these changes because we have the I-STEM Resource Network to provide rigorous and widely available professional development through their higher education partners around the state. We have a State Superintendent who will work to see that the best curricular materials are adopted.

The Superintendent's proposed new licensure policy for teachers also underscores the importance of content knowledge in science. Eli Lilly and Company is working with I-STEM and the Department of Education to develop a science materials support system. Indiana already has a solid assessment program in place with world class Academic Standards for Science and ISTEP+ testing. Indiana is competing for multiple sources of federal funding for STEM teaching and learning.

Now is the time for our schools across the state to adopt research-based curricular materials, provide appropriate professional development, hire highly qualified teachers, set up a materials distribution process, and use ISTEP+ and other formative and summative assessments to evaluate progress.

Fast Facts

• Any accredited public or private school may participate in the pilot - you do not need to be a member of an Educational Service Center (ESC).
• For a school to be considered for the pilot, all grades and all students in the school must participate. At a minimum, 80% of the teachers instructing science should attend 5 days of professional development in July 2010. (If schools adopt, there will be an additional 5 days next summer.) Building principals will need to attend two days of administrator training and participate with their teachers for three days during the summer and attend administrator specific training during the school year.
• Pilot participants will need to use the 2 modules (1 semester of material) we recommend and use assessments during the pilot to measure results. Modules are designed to last 8-10 weeks.
• We are working so that teachers may earn a stipend or graduate / continuing education credits upon completion of the training and implementation of the curriculum in their classroom.
• Schools that have already adopted inquiry-based science may participate in the pilot by using our 2 recommended modules - this can be combined with modules already in use.

Regional Meetings - Round 2
Locations and Times

Region 7 - March 10th Time: 10:00AM - 12:00PM Location: ETHOS, Elkhart, IN Contact: Beth Merchant	Region 8 - March 25th Time: TBD Administrator Meeting - March 19th Time: 12:00PM Location: Columbus City Contact: Linda Michaels
Region 9 - March 25th Time: 1:30 - 3:00PM Administrator Meeting - March 25th Time: 7:30 - 9:00AM Location: CIESC Contact: Debbie Fish

As a continuation of our efforts to have open discussions about science education reform in Indiana and the science strategic plan, we have established a collaboration tool here.

Discussions have been set up to answer questions that you may have or thoughts on this very important topic. Enter the discussions here

You may also contact I-STEM or the Indiana Department of Education with any specific questions about science education in Indiana.

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Presentations from the Summit

"Changing a School District and Community Through Science Education"
Mike Klentschy, Ph.D.
Former Superintendent, El Centro School District

"Implementing a Statewide
Inquiry-Based Science Program"
Brandon Sorge
Director of Operations, I-STEM Resource Network
Karen Heilman
Six Sigma Black Belt, Eli Lilly and Company

For additional highlights from the Summit...please click more

including videos, speaker bios, and the agenda.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the current state of student achievement in science and how do we measure that in Indiana?
  Student achievement in science is measured by ISTEP+ at the end of 4th and the end of 6th grade and then at the end of Biology I in high school. The 4th grade assessment has been in place since 2003 and the 6th grade assessment has been in place since 2005 (prior to 2009 the 4th grade ISTEP+ was given at the beginning of 5th grade and the 6th grade ISTEP+ was given at the beginning of 7th grade). During that time, in general science achievement has remained flat with an average % passing of 63% for grade 4 and 55% for grade 6 for all demographics.
• Is there evidence that this initiative will improve science, math and literacy scores?
  Yes. We are working with national experts using a model that has been successful in school districts and in other states.
• If schools want to participate in the pilot, what is their commitment?
  There will be a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the school district, Department of Education, regional ESC, I-STEM, and institutions of higher education. Teachers and administration must attend professional development. Schools must use the recommended curriculum and assessments.
• How will we measure the success of the research-developed curricular materials?
  We will use Indiana's student growth model, attendance rates, formative and summative assessments (I-STEP+, publisher end of course review, etc.) to evaluate the program's success.

Regional Meetings - Round 1
Locations and Times

Region 1 - February 12th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM CST Location: University of Southern Indiana Science Center 3251   Meeting Minutes	Region 2 - February 22nd Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: Wilson Educational Service Center Meeting Minutes
Region 3 - February 24th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: Walden Inn Meeting Minutes	Region 4 - February 25th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: Ball State University Alumni Center - Meeting Room 2   Meeting Minutes
Region 5 - February 16th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: Purdue University, Hass Hall Meeting Minutes	Region 6 - March 2nd Time: 8:30AM - 11:30AM CST Location: Northwest Indiana Education Service Center Meeting Minutes
Region 7 - February 18th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: School City of Mishawaka Central Office Meeting Minutes	Region 8 - February 23rd Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: IPFW - Chancellors Conf. Room 235 Meeting Minutes
Region 9 - February 17th Time: 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST Location: Marian University - Wheeler-Stokely Mansion Meeting Minutes

Grade	Earth and Space Science		Physical Science
	Vendor	Module	Vendor	Module
KG			FOSS	Fabrics
1	STC	Soils	FOSS	Solids & Liquids
2	FOSS	Air & Weather	STC	Changes
			BSCS*	Investigating Position & Motion
3	Science Companion	Rocks	FOSS	Physics of Sound
			Science Companion*	Light
4	Science Companion	Earth's Changing Surface	FOSS	Magnetism & Electricity
5	FOSS	Planetary Science	STC	Floating & Sinking
6	STC	Earth in Space	FOSS	Mixtures & Solutions
7	It's About Time	Ever Changing Earth	FOSS	Force & Motion
8	FOSS	Weather & Water	FOSS	Chemical Interactions