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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Science instruction panel moves forward with Next Generation benchmarks
Mar. 25, 2015 1:03 am
A state panel tasked with recommending a new set of standards for science instruction in Iowa schools on Tuesday decided to move forward with the Next Generation Science Standards as the basis for its work.
The Next Generation standards were developed by education and science experts from 26 states, including Iowa. Teachers and administrators have said they would be an upgrade over the current Iowa Core standards because they focus more on problem-solving, critical thinking and overarching concepts.
'We want our kids to be able to plan and carry out investigations to test ideas, test solutions, answer questions that they have,” said Karla Ries, the Cedar Rapids Community School District's director of instructional services. 'Those are the pieces that take the standards to the next level.”
The state's science standards review team Tuesday decided to use the Next Generation standards as a starting point for its discussion. The group, made up of teachers, administrators and science professionals, is considering editing the Next Generation documents before it makes a final recommendation to the Iowa Board of Education.
One issue is whether middle-school standards should be divided by grade or grouped together, said Brad Niebling, an Iowa Core consultant for the Iowa Department of Education.
The Next Generation documents have one set of standards for grades six through eight, Niebling said, and the panel is considering whether to create separate standards for each grade.
It also will consider changing the individual standards, Niebling said, including those related to evolution and climate change.
The Next Generation science standards have been met with political opposition in some states, in some cases related to worries about local control of curriculum. In Wyoming, legislators last year blocked funding to implement the standards over concerns about climate change instruction.
They have been less controversial in Iowa. Seven representatives in the Iowa House last month introduced a bill to block the standards, but it hasn't made it out of a subcommittee.
Niebling said the group will discuss individual standards in more detail at its next meeting, scheduled for April 14.
Teachers have said they're careful about how they approach politically sensitive topics, but they don't believe the standards force them to teach anything.
The panel Tuesday reviewed public input from four forums and an online survey conducted last month.
Once the group makes a final recommendation, the state Board of Education will vote on the set of science standards to be used by Iowa schools. The board will receive an update on the standards review process at its meeting Thursday.