NextGenSciStandards-logoCalifornia became the sixth land to prefer the Adjacent Generation Science Standards with the unanimous approval Midweek by the Land Lath of Education. The Lath, even so, has not yet adopted a timeline for implementing them.

Similar the Mutual Cadre standards, their counterparts in English language arts and math, the new science standards stress problem solving, critical thinking and finding common principles or "cross-cutting concepts" that applied science and various fields of science share. They emphasize scientific thinking and big ideas over memorization in the hope that more students will go intrigued by science.

The new standards offer "more explicit connections between learning in a classroom and what lies beyond school," Sheryle Bolton, CEO of the San Diego-based science education company Sally Ride Science, told the State Board. "They show how Stem (science, technology, engineering and math) can be fun and engaging and offering fulfilling careers."

Two years in the making, the new standards were the work of teachers, academicians and experts from two dozen states. They were endorsed by the California Science Teachers Association, the California Stalk Learning Network, an fourscore-person country review team and a Science Expert Panel that includes Stanford physicist Helen Quinn.

Even some supporters, however, expressed concern over the timing of the new standards. Sherry Griffith, interim assistant executive director of the Association of California Schoolhouse Administrators, said that teachers, already consumed past the new Mutual Core standards, may be "overwhelmed" at the prospect of taking on new science standards equally well. She suggested phasing them in.

Country Lath member Aida Molina agreed. "We need to invest in teachers and roll out the standards in a thoughtful fashion."

There is no timeline now for implementing the standards or for writing new assessments, perhaps in conjunction with other states. This year's state budget contains no extra coin for training teachers in the new standards, and the State Board must now engage a committee to write the curriculum frameworks that will elaborate on the standards.

Phil Lafontaine, the state Department of Pedagogy'due south indicate person for the standards, will present an implementation plan to the State Lath in coming months. The Land Board put off a related decision until its next meeting in November: whether instruction of  the new standards in heart school should continue to be taught past subject – globe sciences in sixth grade, life sciences in 7th and physical sciences in 8th – or reconstituted in new integrated courses. At 3 regional forums, many middle schoolhouse teachers said they opposed an integrated approach, though the country's Science Practiced Panel is recommending it.

John Fensterwald covers state education policy. Contact him or follow him @jfenster.

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