A SMART Perspective

Robert Coontz
Director of Finance and Development
Los Angeles Educational Partnership

The SMART Goal

To motivate students to excel in mathematics and science

The SMART Objectives

Build awareness and provide public support for mathematics and science education in the Los Angeles community
Develop effective mathematics and science teachers
Introduce teachers to relevant mathematics and science curricula
Introduce improved methods of performance assessment
Train teachers to use technology in instruction and learning

In 1992, under the leadership of Rockwell International Corporation and its Chairman Don Beall, the Los Angeles Educational Partnership organized a coalition committed to improved science and mathematics teaching and learning. The group included corporate executives, school district representatives, and teacher union leadership.

The SMART Coalition plotted a course to develop solutions to the problems of poor student performance in mathematics and of science and technological illiteracy across the Los Angeles basin. They established a working group of corporate scientists, technology experts, engineers, teachers, and administrators to design a strategic approach to solving these problems.

For almost a year, the working group assessed reports about the conditions of education in Los Angeles area schools, visited classrooms, and studied national, state, and local education reform efforts. Based on the working group's findings, in 1993 the coalition established goals and objectives and adopted a SMART action plan to improve student performance in mathematics and science by the year 2005.

SMART Achievements to date include

four ever-improving editions of the SMART Catalog for teachers
LALCNet (co-designed, piloted, and beta-tested, with the Los Angeles Learning Centers), which is now fully operational and is subscribed to by over 1,700 teachers
ongoing, in-depth, year-long professional development, leadership development, and teacher recognition activities for over 3,700 teachers through the mathematics [+PLUS+] and science [Target Science] teacher networks
the Partners in Science and Industry Program involving over 250 partnerships matching teachers with industry and university professionals, including 30 engineers and scientists from JPL
a plan for the SMART Resource Clearinghouse, which will provide information about access to equipment donations for educators from the public sector and private corporations
replication of the SMART model in other urban areas, with Orange County seeking startup assistance this spring
two fully-equipped technology centers, which are available full-time at Elizabeth Street and Foshay Learning Centers.

To ensure sufficient resources for the future and to achieve critical mass, the Los Angeles Educational Partnership is tripling its effort to identify and work with other programs dedicated to improving mathematics and science education in Los Angeles County.

Recently, the SMART Coalition was reconvened to assess progress, and it adopted a revised action plan which calls for more effective collaboration, promotes expansion of the successful preliminary activities, emphasizes technology and dissemination of information, and strives for school-wide reform in mathematics and science education. They approved reframed strategies that build on current activities.

1996-97 Strategies

Strengthen training for math and science teachers and coordinate providers' efforts to meet teachers' needs.
Create a training institute for parents and community volunteers, beginning with the publication of a SMART Handbook for parents and volunteers and expanding opportunities for parent education.
Expand the size and number of Teacher Networks at LEARN/LAUSD and other Los Angeles County schools.
Expand the number of mathematics and science professionals partnered with teachers in the schools.
Expand the SMART telecommunications network, LALCNet, for Los Angeles County educators, students, and school communities.
Promote the use of a wide spectrum of technologies in science and mathematics instruction and assessment.
Launch the SMART resource clearinghouse on LALCNet and identify a broad range of available resources.
Promote and disseminate successful models of school-wide reforms in mathematics and science

SMART plans to address other issues relevant to mathematics and science teaching and learning in Los Angeles County schools including

improvement of teacher pre-service education
new and alternative forms of assessment
access to new technologies in schools (e.g., multimedia, the Internet, video, etc.)
dramatic expansion of Teacher Networks as effective means of professional development
dissemination of knowledge gained from all Los Angeles projects funded by NSF
creation of effective alliances between K-12 and higher education.

Despite four years of significant progress in providing access to innovative mathematics, science, and technology programs for K-12 teachers in Los Angeles County public schools, the most difficult challenge lies ahead. The SMART Initiative seeks to integrate all mathematics, science, and technology learning resources in Los Angeles County and other Southern California jurisdictions. It seeks to optimize teachers' professional development, leverage all available resources, ensure improved classroom practice, influence school-wide changes in mathematics and science instruction, and promote better results for all students.

Fortunately, the commitment is there. With the very substantial public and private capital already invested to improve mathematics and science education in Los Angeles, the SMART Initiative is on its way to connecting and strengthening the many mathematics, science and technology projects and programs already in place and making a difference in the lives of students and educators for decades to come.