PROGRAM OVERVIEW

"To inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can" is the NASA Education Program's mission and guides all precollege activities and programs. NASA Langley's Precollege Education activities provide:1) teacher inservice opportunities; 2) student support programs; 3) curriculum support and dissemination; 4) support of state and local systemic reform initiatives; and 5) education technology.

The Aerospace Education Services Program (AESP) provides students and educators in Langley's 5-state service region's with curricula and interactive programs enhancing mathematics, science, geography, and technological advances growing out of NASA's missions of research, discovery, and exploration. The Educator Resource Center Network (ERC) helps educators access and use NASA science, mathematics, and technology instructional products that meet national and state standards. NASA Explorer Schools is a three year program of professional development for educators, students, families, and schools in conjunction with Langley personnel. It includes the development of an action plan to enrich science, mathematics, and technology instruction for grade levels 4 - 9. Other professional development opportunities are designed specifically to meet state systemic initiatives.

To ensure that the needs of the educational community are being met, the precollege programs continuously assess customer satisfaction through surveys, focus groups, and other evaluation strategies. NASA continues to undertake actions to communicate knowledge within the education community to support the national education reform movement.