The National Science Resources Center's LASER Center

Helping school districts explore, adopt, implement, and sustain research-based science education programs

The LASER Center is the principal leadership development and outreach arm of the National Science Resources Center (NSRC).

The NSRC
Model of Systemic Science Education Reform
Stages of Successful Science Education Reform
LASER Events
Contact the LASER Center

The NSRC
Established in 1985 by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academies, the NSRC strives to improve the learning and teaching of science for all children in the United States and throughout the world. The LASER Center furthers this mission by guiding school districts in transitioning science education programs from textbook-based to hands-on, inquiry-centered programs. The LASER Center also provides ongoing technical assistance to school districts.

Model of Systemic Science Education Reform
The NSRC Model of Systemic Science Education Reform defines five key components common to all effective science education programs: research-based curriculum, professional development, science materials support, assessment, and administrative and community support.

Stages of Successful Science Education Reform
Successful science reform efforts pass through three broad stages—Building Awareness for Reform, Initiation of Reform, and Implementation and Institutionalization of Reform—each more complex and requiring more time and resources than the one before. The LASER Center offers products, services, resources and expertise to help guide school districts through this process. Other LASER activities are aimed at building partnerships and networks for science education, and at providing professional development opportunities for building local leadership capacity.

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LASER Events:

• Shared Vision conferences in the Building Awareness stage
  
• Curriculum Showcases Strategic Planning Institutes, and Middle School Planning Symposia in the Initiation stage
  
• Academies, Institutes, and Workshops in the Implementation and Institutionalization stage

For more information on the NSRC’s LASER Center and its work, contact the LASER Center at nsrcoutreach@si.edu, or call 202-633-2999.