January 15,
2016 – The State Board
of Education has posted, for a 60-day public comment period, the first Georgia
Standards of Excellence (GSE) for science
and social
studies. If approved, the standards will be implemented in the
2017-18 school year, following a full year of teacher training.
View a simple
overview of the science
standards here and the social
studies standards here. To give your feedback on the proposed standards,
please go to the following surveys:
> Survey for Feedback of
Revised Science Standards
> Survey
for Feedback of Revised Social Studies Standards
The standards,
if approved, will replace the current Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) in
science and social studies with the Georgia Standards of Excellence. They were
developed based on a formal review and evaluation process which included
opportunities for teachers, parents and families, students, business and
industry, and community members to participate through surveys and committees.
Now, the public will have 60 days to review the proposed standards and provide
feedback before the State Board of Education votes on whether to approve them.
“I’m committed
to ensuring appropriate, fully vetted standards that are developed based on
public feedback, in time for teachers to receive ample training,” State School
Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I encourage all those who care about public
education in Georgia to review the proposed standards and share their thoughts.
Whether you’re an educator, a parent, a student, or simply a concerned citizen,
we value your feedback and urge you to take the time to share it with us before
these standards are finalized and voted on by the State Board of Education.”
As part of the
process of review that produced the proposed new standards, science and social
studies teachers across the state were asked to provide feedback for every
single standard and element in their grade level or high school course. The
science and social studies surveys each drew more than 9,000 teachers, with
participation from every school district. Regional Education Service Agencies
(RESAs) assisted in development of the survey, and the University System of
Georgia provided a third-party analysis of the survey results.
Students,
parents and families, business and industry, and community members were also
invited to provide feedback on the existing standards. SEDL, an affiliate of
American Institutes for Research, assisted in management of the survey, and
Georgia State University provided a third-party analysis of the results.
Survey results
were used by practicing Georgia social studies and science teachers to guide
revisions made to the existing standards. Advisory and academic committees also
took part in the revision; these included district-level instructional leaders
and representatives from business and industry, Georgia’s university and
technical college systems, nonprofit organizations and other education-related
state agencies.
Survey opportunities will close on March 14,
2016, 5:00 P.M. EST.
Drafts
of Revised Standards: https://www.georgiastandards.org/Pages/Proposed-Revisions-to-Science-and-Social-Studies-Standards.aspx
Please click on the following links to access the draft of the
revised standards:
Crosswalks
Review Crosswalks from Georgia
Performance Standards to Georgia Standards of Excellence:
• Science
• Social Studies