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외국 과학문화교육의 면모
미국과학교사협회(NSTA) 소식; 과학학력 등
NSTA Express, May 31
Fourth Graders Make Gains on NAEP Science Test; Eighth Graders' Scores Hold Steady, but Twelfth Graders' Scores Decline
Science achievement scores released last week in the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) show improvement among fourth-grade students in science, but scores for eighth-grade students remain flat and twelfth-grade students decline. Considered the 밡ation뭩 Report Card,?NAEP released the latest science performance scores of students at grades 4, 8, and 12. The test was administered in early 2005 by the Department of Education to more than 300,000 students across the nation and on military bases around the world.
According to the NAEP study, fourth-grade students?achievement scores rose four percentage points since the last assessment in 2000. There were also large gains in the number of students moving into the Basic performance level, and minority students뾭articularly blacks and Hispanics뾪ade impressive increases.
The scores for eighth-grade students have remained flat since 1996 with students losing ground in the physical science area, and most gaps between minority and white students remain unchanged. The achievement scores of twelfth-grade students declined three percentage points since the 1996 assessment. No significant changes in the scores were reported by racial/ethnic groups since 1996, and there was a significant widening of the gap between whites and blacks.
NSTA issued a press release responding to the NAEP report. President Mike Padilla was quoted in numerous news stories. To read the NSTA Reports Online Exclusive article on the NAEP report, visit
http://www.nsta.org/main/news/stories/nsta_story.php?news_story_ID=52083; to read the NSTA press release, go to http://www.nsta.org/pressroom&news_story_ID=52084; to read news articles from the New York Times and The Washington Post, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/education/25exam.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin, and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/27/AR2006052700847.html.
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Science Education Champions in Congress Introduce Bill to Include Science in AYP
On May 23, Representative Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) introduced the Science Accountability Act (H.R. 5442) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill would amend No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to ensure that science would be counted in the state뭩 accountability system, Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), starting in the 2008-09 school year.
Currently under NCLB, states and schools are required to annually assess math and reading every year in grades 3-8 and include the assessment results as part of AYP. Beginning in 2007-2008, states and districts must administer science assessments one time in each of the following grades: 3-5, 6-9, and 10-12. They are not required to include science assessments as part of the formula for determining AYP.
The bill, which is co-sponsored by Reps. Rush Holt (D-NJ), Judy Biggert (R-IL), and Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), would also phase in annual science assessments for students in grades 3-8 beginning in 2009-2010, thereby matching the current assessment requirements for reading and math.
It is anticipated that no action will be taken on the Science Accountability Act until Congress begins work to reauthorize NCLB sometime next year. To read more about the legislation, visit http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/Science Accountability Act.pdf. To read the Dear Colleague letter for your congressional representative, visit http://science.nsta.org/nstaexpress/AYP DC.pdf.
Should science assessment results be included in AYP? Tell us what you think at http://science.nsta.org/survey_science_assessment_in_ayp.
NSTA
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