For Parents

Throughout Fall 2012, NSTA is presenting a series of eight web seminars on the practices described in The Framework for K-12 Science Education, released in 2011 by the National Research Council (NRC).

Helen Quinn and Okhee Lee will discuss NGSS and ELLs in this upcoming webinar on September 19, 2012. To register, visit the event webpage: http://ell.stanford.edu/event/next-generation-science-standards-ells.

Good news! K-12 engineering education may soon be coming to schools near you! This is certainly true if your state is one of 26 states leading the way to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards currently under development by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Research Council of the National Academies of Science, National Science Teachers Association, and managed by Achieve, Inc.

The first public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will be available for review from May 11 to June 1. You can read the standards and link to the survey to give feedback on the standards from this page. 

A recent poll released today shows voters are virtually unanimous—97%—in believing that improving the quality of science education is important to the United States' ability to compete globally. Moreover, making sure American students receive a world-class education in math and science ranked second only to fixing the nation's financial health as a strategy for improving America's economic competitiveness with other countries. 

The NRC Publication A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas was published online in July 2011, and is now available in print format.  The paperback version and free PDF can be found here. 

 Twenty-six states are leading the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a shared effort that will clearly define the science content, practices and crosscutting concepts all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation.

Now, 26 states will lead the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a shared effort that will clearly define the content and practices all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation.

It's not uncommon for a school kid to ask teachers the question, "how is this going to help me later in life?" This is the same question national leaders in the science field are asking of the current, national standards we're teaching our children and the answer those leaders have found is that it's time for the standards to change...and scientists right here in South Dakota are leading the way for those changes.

If you’re trying to figure out what to study in college, a new report suggests you would do well choosing a major in science, technology, engineering or math.