History of CAS

Established in 1982, CAS is one of the first comprehensive efforts to mobilize a broad array of participants to improve science, mathematics and technology education.

Collaboration Benefits Everyone!

Schools: School management and organization can be strengthened through partners who employ modern management techniques. Combined resources can help schools prepare better for the future.

Business and Industry: Business has an opportunity to identify competencies needed by its future work force and to assure the development of a pool of human resources who fit its requirements. A firm and enduring commitment to excellence in education on the Part of America's business community is not merely a matter of philanthropy; it is enlightened self-interest.

Teachers: When corporate figures become involved personally in trying to improve education, a powerful signal goes to students. Education is considered important by people who count in the community. A teacher is elevated in the eyes of students because the work of the local classroom teacher, and the teacher himself/herself, is taken seriously in the business world.

Students: Knowledge of science enables the student to make informed decisions and to better understand the range and power of their own capabilities. A strong science, math and technology education program can help students sort fact from myth and put them in a better position to react to headlines and television.

Society: Science is one of the crowning achievements of human intelligence. Science is a way of knowing. Society benefits from scientists' pursuit of understanding complex phenomena.

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Why CAS Works

To improve education, CAS has established a climate for collaboration among all the stakeholders in education - schools, businesses, institutions of higher learning, professional organizations, research laboratories, governmental agencies, community groups, K-12 educators, and individuals.

Only from a collective pool of perspective, talents, skills, resources and insights can we evolve the carefully crafted innovations needed in education today. This cross-fertilization of ideas, synergism, mutual support and respect raises a powerful voice of creativity, knowledge, and enthusiasm.

CAS is a partnership with a stake in the outcomes. CAS is a community forum where partners join to make positive changes with a systemic approach to solving educational problems while supporting and nurturing the people vital to the changing system.

CAS is a constructive attitude where trust is built. The CAS community offers a basis for understanding the motivation of its participants as well as the problems. The very nature of cooperation and inter-institutional collaboration makes CAS special.

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Structure of CAS

CAS is a community of participants, each of whom contributes to the mission of CAS.

Director: The Director of CAS is the primary point person for CAS activities.

Universities and Colleges: Every four-year university and four- and two-year colleges in the State of Colorado are members of the CAS community. Members from these institutions include faculty and administrators.

K-16 Mathematics, Science and Technology Educators: K-16 educators are considered automatic members of CAS. Educators from these three scholastic disciplines may play an active role at their institution, within their district, or at the state level.

Business and Industry: Corporations and smaller businesses have historically been major participants. They give broad perspective to education and contribute financial and resource support to CAS.

Government Agencies: Federal, state and local governmental agencies and departments are members of the CAS community. They provide an important source of support for the CAS efforts.

Steering Committee: The Steering Committee (SC) is comprised of representatives from all of the above areas. The SC recommends policies and priorities for CAS.

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How CAS Operates

• The Colorado Alliance for Science is a grassroots organization that encourages participants to work with new partners, to develop new ideas and approaches, to share resources and to work toward a common goal.
  
• CAS is networking, cooperating, and supporting. CAS participants germinate programs that support new approaches to education. CAS nurtures the programs until a partner is ready and able to administer them, and then turns over to the partner who is credited with the program.
  
• CAS is a vehicle and a catalyst. CAS members stimulate leadership and develop linkages among all stake holders.

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Teacher/Classroom Enhancement Programs

The following represents some of the activities and programs initiated through the CAS partners:

Current Programs

CCHE Integrated Science Courses - CAS is taking the lead on developing two integrated science courses as part of the new articulation agreement between community colleges and four-year institutions.

MAST Hotline - University of Northern Colorado's Mathematics and Science Teaching (MAST) Center. http://www.mast.unco.edu

Past Programs

Visiting Scientists - Multiple sites throughout Colorado.
Community experts who volunteer to work with teachers in the classroom.

Denver Earth Science Project - Colorado School of Mines.
Modular curriculum - development with in-service training for teachers.
http://www.mines.edu/Outreach/Cont_Ed/desp.shtml

Summer Fellowship Program - CAS Industry and laboratory hands-on experience; optional credit.

Tours for Teachers - CAS Colorado Springs - Industrial tours for teacher groups

Science Enrichment Program - Metropolitan State College of Denver. Supports development of hands-on science programs for 4 th and 5 th graders.

Pre-Cept - Government agencies - Summer job placement for minority and female students.

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Why an Alliance of the Magnitude?

More than 400 reports, all outlining the dreary picture of science, mathematics and technology education in the United States have been produced since 1983. The problems seem to start early in the education process. These are some of the problems:

• In 1990, eighth graders overall did not show the breadth of understanding necessary to begin study of relatively advanced mathematics.
  
• International comparisons of assessments indicate that the majority of U.S. students perform poorly in math and science compared to students in other developed countries.
  
• Fewer students are completing college majors in science, mathematics and engineering.
  
• Many schools are resource poor.
  
• Projections for the future work force predict a shortfall of scientist and engineers by the end of the century.
  
• A majority of U.S. businesses are experiencing unfavorable trade balances and a poor global competitive edge.

Tomorrow's work force is today's classrooms; the skills that these students develop and the attitudes toward work that they acquire will help determine the performance of our business and the course of our society in the twenty-first century.

The problems with U.S. education are problems for everyone!

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