Leadership teams of teachers in East Los Angeles, West Los Angeles, South Central LosAngeles and North Central Los Angeles are keeping the network and mission of TargetScience alive.

EFFECTIVE TEACHER COLLABORATION

The effectiveness and dedication of teachers engaged in Target Science occur for twoprimary reasons:

1. Teachers take ownership of the program from the start. With the support of LAUSD,industry, universities and community organizations, teachers examine K-12instructional needs and develop action plans to meet these needs. Over time teachersacquired increasing responsibilities for leadership, organization and implementation ofinitiatives. As a result, Target Science teachers are self reliant and knowledgeablescience change agents on an intra-school, inter-school and regional basis.

2. Teachers are reinforcing and amplifying LAUSD-Los Angeles Systemic Initiative (LA-SI) to improve K-12 science instruction. Specifically, Target Science teachers are putting into practice the National Science Education Standards, mandated California Science Framework, and the LAUSD Science Standards. Simultaneously, they are reinforcing the leadership and workshops provided by the LA-SI resource teachers and LA-SI Math/Science/Technology Centers.

With these LA-SI Centers serving as a structural hub, Target Science teachers haveformed an on-going, evolving and dynamic environment to promote all childrenbecoming scientific thinkers.

TARGET SCIENCE WORKS FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS

The combination of creating an on-going and year round environment for:

1. K-12 articulation and coordination,
2. collaborative teacher decision making, and
3. resources and professional development to turn ideas into practiceis resulting in students becoming scientific thinkers.

PARTNERSHIPS

The Target Science teacher network benefits immeasurably from its links with national,state and local science networks. This includes the Triangle Coalition and the NationalScience Foundation, the California Science Project, professional science educationorganizations and local universities, and corporations. From funding, instructionalmaterials, being on the cutting edge of educational reform, accessing the most current sciencethinking, Target Science teachers receive a form of support and motivation that enablesthem to become agents of change at their school sites.