In alignment with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, the RC6 began a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) project in Year 3 to build LEA/school capacity to ensure effective STEM education via the engineering design process within regular K-5 classroom instruction. High-quality education is necessary in elementary schools in order for students of all backgrounds to have interest in, and access and opportunity to pursue STEM career pathways as they move through their secondary school education and beyond.

This RC6 project provides resources, leadership, and mentoring for a statewide professional development initiative focused on ensuring equitable access to high-quality early learning environments. The RC6 assembled a team of early childhood experts and practitioners at the state, local, and school level who determined there was need for a statewide collaborative in the early childhood area.

Through an improvement science lens, this project is expanding state education agency (SEA) capacity and knowledge to carry out a clear strategy to support regional education agencies (REAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) in understanding and implementing the new state learning standards.

Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC) and Florida Department of Education (FDOE) will develop and support effective school leaders through a series of coordinated activities and processes. First, R7CC will assist FDOE in implementing new state leadership standards. Second, R7CC will assist FDOE in developing new principal preparation approval standards, which align to new state leadership standards and principal preparation program approval standards. Third, R7CC and FDOE will develop a process for the state and stakeholders to review principal preparation programs.

R7CC will provide support to expand state capacity and knowledge in supporting both regional and district understanding of continuous literacy improvement. Project activities include: (1) increasing educators’ knowledge of evidence-based literacy practices in Grades PreK–3 instruction and intervention; (2) engaging in supportive teaming; and (3) building educators’ capacity for ongoing improvement of literacy services and student literacy development.

This project will support the ALSDE by providing the state with guidance, resources, and research in building an effective system to support districts in improving EL instruction. This support will include collaborating with the state to develop (1) a progress monitoring tool for evaluating the implementation of the Alabama Framework for EL Success, (2) a communication plan for disseminating the framework, (3) criteria for defining high-quality instruction and assessment for English learners, and (4) tools for implementing high-quality instruction and assessment.

Key activities to build state capacity to support local education agencies (LEAs) in the use of data-informed evidence-based K-5 mathematics instruction include:

Collaborating with ALSDE, AMSTI, and AMSTI K-5 Regional Math Specialists to research, identify, and design a framework to guide data-driven instructional decision-making.

Co-developing and coordinating data-driven implementation plan to promote the use of evidence-based practices in early grades math instruction.

Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC) supports the ARI to improve student reading proficiency, providing professional development in the Implementation Science of the Alabama Coaching Framework. Project support includes guidance and assistance in reviewing and analyzing current ARI practices and procedures, ensuring alignment to the current evidence base on Grades K–3 literacy development.