Six educators from Schuylkill County will work with a team of science education leaders from across the commonwealth to build a common strategy for improving local systems of science teaching and learning. The program will provide new opportunities for participants to reflect on practices, share their best ideas, and collectively solve problems between organizations and across regions. Regional demonstration sites will be used to generate tools, resources, and processes that can be shared with school leaders and educators across the state to spotlight innovations that are improving science teaching and learning.

The Schuylkill Intermediate Unit was selected to participate in the Pennsylvania Science Education Leaders (PennSEL) Network, a cohort of leadership teams across Pennsylvania with the goal of improving science teaching and learning for all students. The multi-year effort was launched by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and NextGenScience in June 2021 and is expanding in February 2022.

The PennSEL Network builds upon a larger strategy to strengthen STEM education by investing in and increasing access to STEM learning experiences for educators and students. In September 2019, the State Board of Education (Board) charged PDE with beginning the process of updating Pennsylvania’s science, technology, environment, ecology, and engineering standards for the first time in approximately 20 years. In January 2022, the Board voted on the final form of the standards, which are proposed for full implementation in school year 2025–26. The PennSEL Network will support science network teams to lead the transition of these new standards in their communities.