Because low expectations and bias are critical elements that can have a negative impact on student learning and success, the ESE project addresses equity issues in the context of science education and the effects of gender, racial, cultural, socioeconomic and disabilities bias on students' opportunities to learn.

The project assists teams as they develop, implement, assess, and disseminate strategies for equitable science education programs within their schools in order to change the way students, especially those of color and of low socioeconomic backgrounds, are perceived.

As a result of these efforts, ESE anticipates higher academic achievement and success in science education for underrepresented students, including:

• Documented changes in student achievement, such as proportionately appropriate numbers of underrepresented students in gifted, honors, and advanced placement courses.



• Classrooms as positive, nurturing places where authentic discussions occur within an environment that respects young people.



• Positive and supportive teacher expectations and interaction patterns that include appreciation of the cultural diversity of their students.



• Counseling and advising procedures that encourage underrepresented students to take gifted, honors, and advanced placement courses and assistance for all students desiring to attend college.



• Establishment of student support systems, such as peer tutoring, homework, student advocacy, and other types of student centers, and the active involvement of students as both participants and leaders.

In the project's second and third years (1999-2001), ESE hopes specifically to:

• To continue to develop a cadre of science educators, including those from underrepresented groups, who will take on leadership roles and who can provide training and assistance to their colleagues.



• To continue to develop and provide effective practices and policies that help improve equity efforts within classrooms, schools and districts.



• To continue to develop, field-test, and disseminate appropriate strategies and processes that help ESE participants assist their colleagues to keep equity in the forefront when considering curricular, instructional, or assessment issues.



• To help develop and provide technical assistance, support, and networking opportunities in order to sustain the district-level and project-based action plans that will support efforts to instill equity in those targeted districts and regions of California.



• To provide local assistance to the identified focus districts and project that will promote local commitment to equity.



• To collect and analyze appropriate data that will help to assess the effectiveness of the ESE project itself.

ESE hopes to achieve its goals by:

• Increasing the capacity of educational leaders to assist their colleagues in tranforming K-12 science classrooms into high quality equitable learning environments.
  
  
• Addressing equity issues in the context of science education and the effects of gender, racial, cultual, socioeconomic and disabilities bias on students' opportunities to learn.
  
  
• Assisting teams as they develop, implement, assess, and disseminate strategies for equitable science education programs in their schools and districts.

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