News Brief
New Science-Standards Draft Includes Many Changes
Education Week (01/08/13) Robelen, Erik W.A second and final public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards to reshape K-12 science education was released for comment after eight months of review and rewriting. Organizers expect the final set of standards to be ready by March, after which the standards will be given to the states for adoption. Twenty-six states are "lead state partners" in crafting the standards, and most say they will give them serious consideration. The standards cover the physical sciences, life sciences, earth and space sciences, and engineering, technology, and the applications of science. They are organized by grade level for K-5 and as grade-banded expectations for middle and high school. The goals of the standards are to promote depth over breadth in science education, ensure greater coherence in learning across grade levels, and help students understand the cross-cutting nature of crucial concepts that span scientific disciplines. Students will apply their learning through scientific inquiry and the engineering-design process to deepen their understanding. The new draft also includes 11 appendices to examine college and career readiness in science, a specific look at implementation strategies for student groups that have been traditionally underserved in science classrooms, and suggestions for course mapping of science learning at the middle and high school levels, among other things.
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