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Life, Earth, and Physical Science (LEaPS Project)

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Duval County Public Schools (DCPS), in collaboration with the University of North Florida (UNF), Jacksonville University (JU), Florida Community College at Jacksonville (FCCJ), and the Schultz Center for Teaching and Leadership (Shultz Center), and the Florida Center for Research Science, Technology, Engineering, and Science (FCR-STEM), have collaborated to create a potentially powerful model to support increased grades 3-5 elementary teachers’ science content and effective classroom instruction.

The Life, Earth, and Physical Sciences (LEaPS) project is a model for the Florida Science Expert Teacher Program and has three main outcomes: (1) to develop and refine a professional development model that will improve depth of understanding in science content among teachers of grades 3-5; (2) to develop and refine a model for assessing elementary teacher content knowledge in life, earth, and physical sciences that may be replicated statewide, and (3) to build leadership capacity of elementary teachers for sustainability of improved teacher practice.

LEaPS teachers were recommended by their Principals to attend a year-long professional development institute. Sessions began in July of 2007 at local colleges and universities. Five days of professional development during the school year is designed to increase science content knowledge for all participants.

The commitment of the LEaPS Project Team is:

• increased science content knowledge in life, earth and physical sciences in a professional setting on local university campuses (UNF, JU, and FCCJ);

• master in-service plan points upon successful completion;

• science equipment and supplies for your classroom;

• science non-fiction classroom libraries;

• professional libraries for all LEaPS teachers;

• ongoing science support during the school year by the district elementary science resource team and local university professors;

• continued professional development opportunities including CRiss training aimed at science; technology training; to assist peer collaboration and classroom instruction, and data analysis training with stipends and substitutes paid; and the opportunity to be part of the learning community in science.