An image of two students with the text "About CASE" in the middle.

What is CASE?

Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) is a national agriscience curriculum for use in school based agricultural education programs and is delivered with a heavy science inquiry focus. The mission of CASE is to aid teachers in professional development and promoting rigorous learning opportunities for their students, strengthening partnerships with public and private entities to provide teachers and students with better resources, and to develop agricultural education as a possible solution for academic challenges within secondary schools. 

​The four main components of teacher support within CASE are curriculum, professional development, assessment, and certification. The goal of CASE is that all teachers who enter the program are fully equipped and knowledgeable at the completion of the course in order to maximize the amount of quality learning opportunities for their students. 

​CASE follows a specific sequence of courses for educating teachers on a wide variety of aspects. The model begins on general agricultural topics then gradually focuses on more specialized areas. 

​On the state level, Arizona hosts a CASE Integrated Institute each year with lead teachers Dr. Amber Rice and Mr. Quint Molina. We offer certification in Introduction to Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) and Agricultural Business Foundations (ABF) for all preservice teachers completing our degree program. 

​In addition to integrated AFNR institute, the University of Arizona also hosts Summer CASE Institutes for teachers on an every other year basis. In 2018, we hosted an AFNR Institute. In 2021, we will be hosting another ANFR institute.

Who is involved in CASE?

CASE is for everyone! This amazing program is not limited to only current teachers; it is offered for pre-service teachers as well. The University of Arizona 2019 CASE Student Cohort is a group of preservice agriculture teachers practicing CASE curriculum, lead by Dr. Amber Rice, Mr. Quint Molina, and Graduate Teaching Assistant Mr. Joshua Troub. Learning CASE curriculum and becoming certified in it is all in preparation for future student teaching. CASE is also always open to current teachers who want to boost their professional development and learning opportunities for their students.

 

2023 CASE Cohort (left to right): Dr. Amber Rice (Professor), Kevin Berrigan, Paige Johnson, Rylee Rocca, Dylan Gilmore, Danielle Frey, Marjorie Wells, Jack the service dog, Samantha Saldaña (Graduate Teaching Assistant) 

Why CASE?

Why is CASE different than normal curriculum? CASE breaks away from tradition by:

  • Using a logical sequence of courses that develop a core concepts

  • Providing detailed resources for teaching hands-on lab experiments

  • Being student-directed and inquiry-based

  • Aligning with national standards for all subjects in every lesson

  • Offering CASE Certification to secondary students for their next career path

  • ... and more!

Why is CASE different from Other Curriculum Resources, www.case4learning.org 

Agricultural education brings countless new concepts, skills, and ideas to students who would never be exposed to it otherwise. CASE allows students to exploit these unique opportunities and discover math, science, and the agricultural industry in a new light. CASE goes beyond the definition of curriculum; it is a teacher-focused support system unparalleled to any current agricultural education recourses that engages students in the agricultural industry as well as foundational science and mathematics. 

CASE Policies: 

Please visit case4learning.org for more information regarding national CASE policies. 

CASE certification is intellectual property of the teacher who completes the professional development. Certification is a measure of professional growth in topics of CASE pedagogy and assurance of competency for using specific CASE materials. Therefore, CASE certification stays with a teacher throughout their career regardless of their place of employment.

In the event of a CASE certified teacher serving as a cooperating teacher to a pre-service teacher, student teacher access is permitted. Student teachers may access and teach CASE curricula under the mentorship and supervision of the CASE certified teacher during their student teaching placement. However, student teachers cannot teach or utilize any CASE curricula after completing student teaching unless they complete a CASE certification.

All copies of the CASE curricula must be removed from the student teacher’s possession upon the completion of student teaching, including any files in their computer program files. If the individual is found to be using CASE curricula after student teaching, they will be in violation of copyright and subject to the legal copyright implications.

Schools districts - Have a new hire?

CASE certification is intellectual property of the teacher who completes the professional development. Certification is a measure of professional growth in topics of CASE pedagogy and assurance of competency for using specific CASE materials. Therefore, CASE certification stays with a teacher throughout their career regardless of their place of employment.

In the event of a CASE certified teacher leaving a program and replaced by a non-certified CASE teacher a probationary period is proposed to assist the transition. Typically, professional development expenses are paid for by the sponsoring school district for a teacher. A policy to protect the investment made by a school district during the implementation of CASE is important to encourage the continuation of CASE instruction during a transition. Additionally, a probationary period would ensure that students enrolled in a CASE sequence of courses are not penalized for the transition of a teacher.

CASE certification is intellectual property of the teacher who completes the professional development. Certification is a measure of professional growth in topics of CASE pedagogy and assurance of competency for using specific CASE materials. Therefore, CASE certification stays with a teacher throughout their career regardless of their place of employment.

In the event of a CASE certified teacher leaving a program and being replaced by a non-certified CASE teacher a probationary period is proposed to assist the transition. Typically, professional development expenses are paid for by the sponsoring school district for a teacher.

​A policy to protect the investment made by a school district during the implementation of CASE is important to encourage the continuation of CASE instruction during a transition. Additionally, a probationary period ensures students are enrolled in a CASE sequence of courses are not penalized for the transition of a teacher.

A sponsoring School District may continue to use CASE curriculum for the courses in which the former teacher had successfully completed CASE Institute training in for a probationary period of one instructional calendar year.


Teachers - Moving schools?

If you have changed schools since attending a CASE Institute and would like to continue to receive updates, discounts, and other information, please complete the form below and submit a new School District Agreement form. The School District Agreement form can be submitted with the change of information or directly to Miranda Chaplin at NAAE, 300 Garrigus Building, Lexington, KY 40546. Both the School District Agreement and the following form must be submitted in order for the change to take effect. Only information for current CASE certified teachers will be retained and updated.

In order to finalize your pre-service CASE certification, the remaining $700 of your certification fee must be paid once you are employed by a school system. Payment of this fee allows you to be eligible for teacher services including receiving updated copies of the curriculum, ordering equipment and supplies at discount prices through the CASE Store, to be eligible to utilize CASE Online, and teach the curriculum without copyright infringement.​

In order to receive your invoice for the remaining $700 of your certification fee, please complete the change of school form. Note the year, university, and course, along with pre-service certified, in the additional information section. You will then receive a copy of your invoice to submit to your school’s business office to finalize your CASE certification. 

It is illegal to make copies of CASE curriculum without permission of CASE.

All software, coursework, images, and material contained in this curriculum are property of Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education™ (CASE™) and are protected under federal copyright law. It is illegal to make and/or distribute any of the contents of this curriculum without the permission of CASE. The explicit use of this curriculum and its contents is for the CASE Institute, its affiliates, schools, teachers, and personnel. Duplication or use of this curriculum for any reason including sale, loan, rental, or gift is a federal crime.

Please report copyright violations to:

Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education,

An initiative of the National Council for Agricultural Education

And managed by the National Association of Agricultural Educators.

Lexington, KY

Copyright 2020-2021 Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education