DES MOINES –
Members of Iowa’s Science Standards Review Team today recommended adoption of
the Next Generation Science Standards with modifications as Iowa’s new science
standards.
The
recommendation will be formalized in a report next month and will be sent to
the State Board of Education for consideration.
The Next
Generation Science Standards is the name of science standards developed by 26
states, including Iowa, that all states can consider adopting and adapting to
meet their needs. Academic standards represent consistent expectations for what
students should know and be able to do from kindergarten through 12th
grade. Iowa’s academic standards are being reviewed, starting with science, as
part of Gov. Branstad’s Executive Order 83.
The review
team’s recommendation proposes modifying the Next Generation Science Standards
for Iowa so that only the performance expectations section is used, rather than
the entire standards document. Members said the performance expectations are
easier to understand, especially for teachers in subject areas other than
science, and allow for more local control because they are broader than other
parts of the standards document.
The team’s
recommendation also proposes modifying the Next Generation Science Standards
for Iowa by separating them by grade level for kindergarten through 8th
grade and organizing the high school standards into a span of grades.
The Science
Standards Review Team’s recommendation was based on the expertise of members
and feedback from Iowans gathered through public forums and a statewide survey.
Team members
said the Next Generation Science Standards represent an improvement from Iowa’s
current science standards for a number of reasons. They reflect more modern
practices in science, were developed by experts in a process led by states
including Iowa, and include engineering practices – which is important as Iowa
grows its commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
education, said Kris Kilibarda, a review team member.
“These
standards will prepare our students to be scientifically literate citizens and
will provide the base for more advanced study for Iowans who pursue careers in
science and engineering,” said Kilibarda, who is director of the Jacobson
Institute for Innovation in STEM Education at Grand View University.
The
recommendation capped off more than five months of work by the Science
Standards Review Team, which is made up of education and business leaders with
expertise in physical science, life science, earth and space science, and
engineering, technology and application. Iowa Department of Education Director
Brad Buck convened the team last fall to review Iowa’s science standards, as
well as rigorous science standards from other states and organizations, and to
make a recommendation for improvement.
In December,
the review team made a preliminary recommendation to take the Next Generation
Science Standards to the public for feedback.
A statewide
survey and four public forums throughout the state generated about 2,600
comments in February. A majority of comments were in favor of the Next
Generation Science Standards. For example, the survey results showed 69 percent
of survey participants agreed that the Next Generation Science Standards will
prepare students to be ready for college, careers and other postsecondary
options.
Review team
members studied and discussed the public feedback at two meetings in March. At
their March 24 meeting, team members agreed that the Next Generation Science
Standards should be the basis for their work on a final recommendation.
At today’s
meeting, the review team approved the following recommendation on a 9-2 vote:
-
We recommend the Next Generation Science Standards performance expectations be adopted in Iowa as grade-specific standards for grades K-8 and grade-span standards for grades 9-12.
For
more information about the Science Standards Review Team, visit the Iowa
Department of Education’s website.
