MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Cardoza, GaDOE Communications Office, (404) 651-7358, mcardoza@gadoe.org
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May 17, 2012 – The first public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is now available at www.nextgenscience.org and will be available until June 1.
Twenty-five states, including Georgia, and the District of Columbia are leading the development of the NGSS, an effort that will clearly define the content and practices all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation. The NGSS process is being managed by Achieve, a non-partisan education non-profit.
"I'm pleased that Georgia is one of the lead states so we can help shape future science standards," said State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge. “I would rather us help shape what future science standards look like than have them handed down to us without any input."
The Lead State Partners are Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, the District of Columbia.
The development of the Next Generation Science Standards is a two-step process. The first step was the building of a framework that identified the core ideas and practices in natural sciences and engineering that all students should be familiar with by the time they graduate. In July, the National Research Council released A Framework for K-12 Science Education, developed by a committee representing expertise in science, teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment and education policy.
The second step is the development of science standards based on the Framework. The 25 Lead State Partners guided the standard writing process, gathered and delivered feedback from state-level committees and came together to address common issues and challenges.
NOTE: Georgia has not approved or endorsed the Next Generation Science Standards and reserves the right not to implement the standards that are ultimately approved by the NGSS Committee.
Why are New Science Standards NeededAmerican students continue to lag internationally in science education, making them less competitive for the jobs of the present and the future. A recent U.S. Department of Commerce study shows that over the past 10 years, growth in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) jobs was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs. The report also shows that STEM jobs are expected to continue to grow at a faster rate than other jobs in the coming decade.
"There is no doubt that we need to provide our students with a stronger science education in order to be college and career ready,” said Superintendent Barge. “A strong science education opens the door to a variety of high-paying careers for our students."
The public’s feedback is welcomed. To provide comments, go to www.nextgenscience.org and click on any of the links that say "Go to the NGSS Survey." Please submit surveys by June 1. Feedback collected during the comment period will be organized and shared with the leading states and writing team members.
