The department maintains close ties with teachers, schools and informal science institutions in the greater Long Beach area.

It undertakes projects aimed at pre-college through university students. From the Head Start on Science project which develops a "sense of wonder" and excitement preschool and Kindergarten children, their teachers and parents to outreach and professional development for inservice elementary and secondary teachers, and support for preservice teachers and informal science educators, the department hosts a wide variety of grants and projects impacting the entire preK-16 and informal science education community.