Welcome to Washington State LASER
Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform
LASER Vision
All K-12 students deepen their understanding of scientific ideas over time, engaging in practices that scientists and engineers actually use, so that students are informed and thriving global citizens and succeed in STEM careers if they choose those pathways.
Washington State LASER is a state science/STEM education program led by Washington STEM in partnership with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Educational Service Districts, and the Institute for Systems Biology.
Washington STEM is a statewide, education nonprofit leveraging STEM for social change, removing barriers to credential attainment, and creating pathways to long-term economic security for systemically underserved students. We envision a state where skin color, zip code, income, and gender do not predict educational and career outcomes.
Washington State LASER provides science/STEM leadership development and support aligned with a framework for an equitable and healthy K-12 Science/STEM ecosystem. This work largely occurs within nine regional Alliances, allowing each Alliance to meet the unique needs of their local school and district partners. At the statewide level, the LASER Alliance Directors engage in sustained professional learning on issues of equity in science/STEM education and how to address barriers in local work with schools and districts. Given the many local and statewide efforts in Science/STEM education, LASER strives to act as a hub for building coherence across people, regions, and programs.
Washington State LASER is not a direct service organization for students or classroom teachers. Instead, Washington State LASER acts upon the system levers that allow equitable and impactful PK-12 science/STEM learning to happen.
Develop as culturally proficient Science/STEM education leaders
Culturally proficient leaders recognize cultural, contextual, and historical diversity as a set of assets that enrich the learning environment (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018), and work to dismantle barriers and create opportunities for students furthest from educational justice in science/STEM.
Support K-12 Science/STEM strategic planning and implementation
The LASER framework includes:
School/district operations
Student pathways
Curriculum
Instructional Materials
Assessment
Administrator and Community Engagement