Next Generation Science Standards

The purposes of the standards include;

1. Creating science-literate citizens
2. Creating common standards for teaching in the U.S.
3. Making science and engineering relevant for and accessible to all students
4. Developing greater interest in science among students so that more of them choose to major in science and technology in college.

Overall, the guidelines are intended to;

1. Help students deeply understand core scientific concepts,
2. Develop proficiency in the scientific process of developing and testing ideas,
3. Have a greater ability to evaluate scientific evidence.

Curricula based on the standards may cover fewer topics, but will go more deeply into specific topics, possibly using a case-study method and emphasizing critical thinking and primary investigation. Possible approaches to implementing the standards may even include replacing traditionally isolated high school courses such as biology and chemistry with a case-study approach that uses a more holistic method of teaching science to consider both (or more) topics within a single classroom structure. Many education supply companies have already started offering NGSS-aligned products and resources to help teachers implement these new principles.{{cite web |title=MudWatt NGSS Science Kit |url=http://www.mudwatt.com/pages/educational-resources}}

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are based on the "Framework K–12 Science Education" that was created by the National Research Council. They have three dimensions that are integrated in instruction at all levels. The first dimension is the Disciplinary Core Ideas (the DCIs), which consists of content and concepts specific to four disciplines: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science. The second dimension is the Science and Engineering Practices (the SEPs), which describe how scientists, engineers, and science students engage in their work of making sense of real-world phenomena and designing solutions to real-world problems. The specific elements of the science and engineering practices from the Framework are identified and described in Appendix F of the Next Generation Science Standards. These practices are asking questions and defining problems; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations and designing solutions; engaging in argument from evidence; and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.{{cite web |title=APPENDIX F – Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS |url=https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Appendix%20F%20%20Science%20and%20Engineering%20Practices%20in%20the%20NGSS%20-%20FINAL%20060513.pdf |accessdate=June 6, 2021}} The third dimension is the Crosscutting Concepts, which are thinking tools and ideas that span disciplines and are used to bring disciplinary ideas together to explain a phenomenon or to design a solution to a problem. The NGSS give equal emphasis to engineering design and to scientific inquiry. In addition, they are aligned with the Common Core State Standards by grade and level of difficulty. The standards describe "performance expectations" for students in the areas of science and engineering. They define what students must be able to do in order to show competency.{{cite web |title=The Next Generation Science Standards: Executive Summary |publisher=Next Generation Science Standards |date=June 2013 |url=http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/ngss/files/Final%20Release%20NGSS%20Front%20Matter%20-%206.17.13%20Update_0.pdf |accessdate=March 5, 2014}}

An important facet of the standards is that learning of content is integrated with doing the practices of scientists and engineers. This is a change from traditional teaching, which typically either dealt with these topics separately or did not attempt to teach practices. According to the NGSS, it is through the integration of content and practice "that science begins to make sense and allows students to apply the material."

Over 40 states have shown interest in the standards, and as of March 2023, 20 states, along with the District of Columbia (D.C.), have adopted the standards: Arkansas,{{cite web |title=Arkansas Adopts NGSS for grades K-8 |publisher=NSTA |date=June 17, 2015 |url=http://ngssblog.nsta.org/2015/06/17/arkansas-adopts-ngss-for-grades-k-8/ |accessdate=July 8, 2015}} California, Connecticut,{{cite web |title=The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were adopted by unanimous vote of the Connecticut State Board of Education| date=November 4, 2016 |url=http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=320890|accessdate=December 11, 2016}} Delaware, Hawaii,{{cite news |first=Liana |last=Heitin |title=Hawaii Adopts the Next Generation Science Standards|newspaper=Education Week | date=February 17, 2016 |url=http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2016/02/hawaii_adopts_the_next_generation_science_standards.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-TW|accessdate=February 22, 2016}} Illinois,{{cite news |first=Liana |last=Heitin |title=It's Official: Illinois Adopts Common Science Standards |newspaper=Education Week | date=March 25, 2014 |url=http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/03/illinois_science_standards_ado.html |accessdate=March 26, 2014}} Iowa,{{cite news |title=Iowa Becomes 15th State to Adopt Next Generation Science Standards|newspaper=Education Week |date=August 11, 2015 |url=http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2015/08/iowa_adopts_next_generation_science_standards.html |accessdate=August 19, 2015|last1=Loewus |first1=Liana }} Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,{{cite web |url=http://ped.state.nm.us/ped/NMSTEMReadyScienceStandards.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171118042823/http://ped.state.nm.us/ped/NMSTEMReadyScienceStandards.html|archive-date=18 Nov 2017|title=NM STEM Ready Science Standards |website=ped.state.nm.us |access-date=November 20, 2017}} Oregon,{{cite web |title=Oregon adopts the Next Generation Science Standards as the new Oregon Science Standards! |publisher=Oregon Department of Education |date=March 10, 2014 |url=http://www.ode.state.or.us/news/announcements/announcement.aspx?=9699 |accessdate=March 11, 2014}} Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. These represent over 36% of the students in U.S.{{cite news |first=Liana |last=Heitin |title=Nevada Adopts Common Science Standards |newspaper=Education Week |date=February 26, 2014 |url=http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2014/02/nevada_adopts_common_science_s.html |accessdate=March 11, 2014}}{{cite news |first=Amanda |last=Ripley |title=The New Smart Set: What Happens When Millions of Kids Are Asked to Master Fewer Things More Deeply? |magazine=Time |date=September 30, 2013 |page=36}}{{cite news |first=John |last=Higgins |title=Washington to adopt 'Next Gen' science standards |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=October 3, 2013 |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/education/2021960473_sciencestandardsxml.html |accessdate=February 19, 2014}}{{cite web |title=Delaware 7th State to Adopt NGSS |publisher=Next Generation Science Standards |date=September 20, 2013 |url=http://www.nextgenscience.org/delaware-7th-state-adopt-ngss |accessdate=February 19, 2013}}{{Cite web |last=NSTA |title=NGSS Hub |url=http://ngss.nsta.org/About.aspx |access-date=2017-05-06 |website=NGSS Hub |language=en-US}}

Unlike the earlier roll-out of the Common Core (CC) mathematics and English language arts standards, states have no financial incentives from federal grants to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards. Previously, adoption of the CC standards was incentivized through states accepting federal grants during the 2009 TARP bailouts. Once states accepted the grant, they accepted the responsibility to adopt "college and career readiness" standards, which didn't have to be CC, but most states chose CC anyway.{{cite web|publisher=Huffington Post |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-williams/common-core-standards_b_3461006.html |accessdate =December 4, 2014|title=States Have a Choice in Adopting Common Core Standards for K-12 Education |date=2013-06-18 }}

The 26 states involved in developing the NGSS, called Lead State Partners, were Arizona, Arkansas, 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, and West Virginia.{{cite web |title=Lead State Partners |publisher=Next Generation Science Standards |url=http://www.nextgenscience.org/lead-state-partners |accessdate=May 13, 2013}}

When the standards were released in April 2013, many states were expected to adopt them within 1–2 years. However, according to the New York Times, it will take several more years to actually develop curricula based on the new guidelines, to train teachers in implementing them, and to revise standardized tests. In addition, the pace of adoption is expected to be slower than was seen with the Common Core State Standards because, unlike Common Core, in which the states had financial incentives to adopt, there are no similar incentives for the NGSS. Many education supply companies have started offering NGSS-aligned products and resources to help teachers adopt NGSS.{{cite web |title=Open NGSS Resources |url=https://www.opened.com/search?standard_group=next-generation-science-standards}}

In 2018, Achieve partnered with Concentric Sky to offer digital badges for high-quality learning resources aligned to the NGSS.{{cite web|url=https://www.achieve.org/achieve-announces-ngss-design-badge-high-quality-science-units|title=Achieve Announces NGSS Design Badge for High-Quality Science Units|date=13 March 2018|website=Achieve.org}}

News reports have suggested there will likely be resistance towards the Next Generations Science Standards from conservatives due to the inclusion of anthropogenic climate change and evolution.{{cite web |title=Evolution and climate change in the NGSS |publisher=National Center for Science Education |url=http://ncse.com/news/2013/04/evolution-climate-change-ngss-0014800 |accessdate=May 13, 2013|date=2013-04-09 }}{{cite journal |first=Emily |last=Richmond |title=Students Would Learn about Climate Change Under New Teaching Guidelines |journal=The Atlantic |date=April 10, 2013 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/04/students-would-learn-about-climate-change-under-new-teaching-guidelines/274858/ |accessdate=May 13, 2013}}{{cite news |first=Teresa |last=Watanabe |title=New science standards call for teaching climate change and more |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 9, 2013 |url=http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-science-20130409,0,1524486.story |accessdate=May 13, 2013}}{{cite news |first=Greg |last=Toppo |title=National science standards likely to raise 'ruckus' |newspaper=USA Today |date=April 10, 2013 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/09/science-school-standards/2064791/ |accessdate=May 13, 2013}}{{cite web |title=Partners |publisher=Next Generation Science Standards |url=http://www.nextgenscience.org/partners |accessdate=May 13, 2013}} For example, the New Mexico Public Education Department initially attempted to make changes and deletions in the standards prior to adopting them. According to Skeptical Inquirer, the "proposed changes would have deleted key terms and concepts such as evolution and the 4.6-billion-year age of the Earth. Specifically, 'evolution' would be called 'biological diversity,' the specific age of the Earth would be changed to 'geologic history,' and a 'rise in global temperatures' would be changed to 'temperature fluctuations.'" Following significant protests by the New Mexico Academy of Science, New Mexicans for Science and Reason, the Coalition for Excellence in Science and Engineering as well as scientists, educators, and faith leaders, the department announced in October 2017 that it would adopt the standards in their entirety.{{cite journal|last1=Frazier|first1=Kendrick|authorlink=Kendrick Frazier|title=New Mexico Scientists, Teachers Stop Attempt to Taint Science Standards|journal=Skeptical Inquirer|date=2018|volume=42|issue=2|page=13}}

• Common Core State Standards Initiative

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.nextgenscience.org/ Next Generation Science Standards website]

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Category:Science education

Category:Education reform in the United States

Category:Education in the United States

Category:Science education in the United States

Category:Standards-based education