Professional Development

Professional Learning Community

SEP's interactions include an array of people and organizations that make up the science education community from the local to the national level. We foster this professional learning community (PLC) through developing long-term professional relationships with a network of people who influence science education and its improvement. This network includes not only teachers, students, parents, scientists, faculty, schools, school boards, and communities, but also commercial vendors, local and national biotechnology companies, national and international scientific and professional societies, funders, awards committees, publishers, software developers, journalists, standards developers and so on. Increasingly, SEP functions as a node or nexus brokering connections that push educational reform.

Continuing Education Credits/Clock hours

The SEP program provides opportunities for curriculum development and ongoing science training that fulfills continuing education requirements for teachers. Participants can either register for 5 non-graded credits through the Univeristy of Washington extension office (~$165) or sign up for 50 clock hours through WSTA the Washington State Teachers Association (~$50). Credits/ clock hours are earned in the May following completetion of the first year of SEP participation.