MassBioEd partners with underserved schools to ensure student access to authentic life sciences in the classroom. Qualifying schools or districts can partner with MassBioEd through the multi-year ACCESS Program or the TOTE Equipment Lending Program.

Aligned Curricular and Career Experiences for Secondary Science (ACCESS Program)

The ACCESS Program brings teachers, administrators and scientists together to provide partner districts with vertically aligned, hands-on life science lab lessons and career experiences for students in grades 6-10. Teachers in all grades receive training and practice with ACCESS Program lessons and equipment as well as in-school (or remote) coaching and mentoring to incorporate ACCESS Program lessons and career awareness into existing curriculum.

The ACCESS Program focuses on four key elements:

• Student centered learning and career awareness
• Intensive district-wide teacher training and support that creates independence and sustainability
• Three years of in-school mentoring for lab implementation
• All required materials, equipment, and supplies

To learn more about the ACCESS Program, contact BioTeach@massbioed.org.

Take Out Training and Equipment (TOTE) Lending Program

Take Out Training and Equipment (TOTE) is a lending program designed for schools that do not have the equipment and reagents to bring desired lab activities to their students. TOTE provides teachers who have attended BioTeach workshops with everything needed to deliver activities and labs that engage students in biotechnology techniques and investigations. Through TOTE students have access to molecular models, micropipettes, reagents, gel electrophoresis and PCR equipment needed to perform restriction digests, plasmid mapping, PCR, and bacterial transformation. As part of this lending program, a BioTeach Instructor provides remote mentoring to partner schools.