IMPLEMENTATION OF EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE OF THE NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS INTO STATE STANDARDS

The current wave of science education reform was propagated by the publications of the Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Project 2061, AAAS, 1993), and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). Earth and Space Science content is a significant component of the “The Physical Setting” standards of the AAAS (paleontology and evolution topics are covered in the “The Living Environment” standards). The Earth and Space Science standards stand as a separate content area standard in the NRC publication. Both of these documents indicate that Earth and Space Science should be a significant component of the science education of every American. However, K-12 education is managed at the state level. Therefore, implementation of the national science education standards will be managed at the state level. We have obtained copies of state science standards from each state department of education homepages, with the exception of Iowa (whose standards are not available through the internet). Summaries of the Earth and Space Science standards were produced for each state (except Iowa). Summaries were also produced for the two proposed national science education standards. Copies of these summaries were presented at the 2000 National GSA meeting for information dissemination and for feedback from persons from states. In producing the state summaries, it become obvious that each state used either one or a combination of two national science education standards as the core curriculum. Therefore, it does appear that the proposed national science education standards are driving science curriculum reform across the nation towards a national science curriculum. Most states also have more specific standards that apply to the unique features of their state. For example, Virginia standards include the “physiographic provinces of VA” as part of Plate Tectonics content, and “resources of VA” as part of the their Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources content. As another example, North Carolina includes “NC wetlands, inland and tidal environments” and “Production of shorelines and landforms” within Competency Goal 4 (Hydrosphere and Environmental Quality).