For most people, buying a car is a big decision that requires thinking about their driving needs and the car’s features. Many schools and districts feel the same way when choosing instructional materials. Before making a science curriculum purchase, schools and districts typically consider their students’ needs along with the instructional product’s features (such as content, alignment with learning standards, ease of use, and cost).

You probably wouldn’t buy a car without driving it first. Likewise, many schools and districts are reluctant to purchase a hands-on curriculum without a "test drive." So Carolina has a program that lets teachers pilot (trial teach) an STC® or STC/MS™ unit in the classroom. This gives educators personal experience with the inquiry-based approach to science instruction, assessment, and subject integration. Some districts even compare the standardized test scores of students taught with the piloted unit(s) to the test results of students taught with other instructional tools or methods.

West Valley School District #208 (WVSD) in Yakima, Washington, is one district that has taken this route. WVSD has been gradually implementing inquiry-based science in its schools over the past 3 years. When the process concludes in 2007, primarily STC® and STC/MS™ units will be used for science instruction from grades K to 9, according to Peter Finch, Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Teaching.

During the first year of implementation (2003-04 school year), WVSD set up a pilot with 2 STC® units (which the district refers to as LASER Science) for its 5th-grade classes. Of the district’s 14 classes at that grade level:

	Two 5th-grade teachers piloted 2 STC® units, Food Chemistry and Motion and Design.
	Seven 5th-grade teachers piloted one STC® unit, Food Chemistry.
	Five 5th-grade teachers did not participate in the pilot.

Figure 1 (click to enlarge)   Figure 2 (click to enlarge)

In Spring 2004, the district’s 5th-grade students were given the science portion of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The outcome? Students who received more instruction with an STC® unit performed better on the WASL than students who received less or no instruction with STC® (see figure 1). Students who received any STC® instruction also outperformed the district and state average.

A year later, test score results continue to be positive. During the 2004-05 school year, all WVSD 5th-graders received instruction with at least one STC® unit, and some students learned science from 2 or 3 units. On the WASL science test in Spring 2005, WVSD students continued their better-than-average performance (see figure 2).

The motto for West Valley School District is "Success for each student every day." With the help of inquiry-based curriculums such as STC® and STC/MS™, WVSD students are on the road to their district’s instructional goal.

What difference could STC® or STC/MS™ units make with your students?

 Learn more about piloting an STC® or STC/MS™ unit

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