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 Credit/Clock Hours

The SEP program provides opportunities for curriculum development and ongoing science training that fulfill continuing education requirements for teachers. Participants can either register for 5 non-graded credits through the Univeristy of Washington extension office (~$187) or sign up for 50 clock hours through WSTA (~$50). Credits/ clock hours are earned in the May following completion of the first year of SEP participation, and are dependent upon completion of all SEP requirements.

Clock hours are also available for most special workshops hosted by SEP. Contact us for more information.

Online Resources for Teachers

The Math and Science Partnership Network (MSPnet) has gathered a wide range of online resources for teachers, including a searchable library.

The National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) is celebrating 2009 as the "Year of Science" and is posting a wide array of online resources, adding new ones each month.

New for 2009, Science/AAAS in collaboration with the L'Oréal Corporate Foundation has produced a new Young Women in Science booklet.

The National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education has a website with many resources for science teachers and their students.

The Education Development Center (EDC) Center for Science Education has put together a comprehensive listing of educational site, professional associations, out-of-school and informal science groups.

Grant Writing Resources

Learning Point Associates' Recovery and Reinvestment Center offers a single site where educators and policymakers can track all the developments and find current information.

The US Department of Education has a website detailing funds/grants available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Got Grants? Teacher Professional Development Sourcebook's article on finding an applying for grants for your classroom.

Grants.gov - your source to find and apply for government grants.