For Immediate Release: April 16, 2015
Contact: Renée Rybak Lang, renee.lang@nasbe.org 703.740.4841

New NASBE Resource Guides States through Science Standards Adoption

Alexandria, Va. – Implementing, revising, adapting, or adopting new academic standards is a significant undertaking that requires extensive support, planning, and resources. Where do state policymakers begin? A new NASBE resource, New Science Standards: A Readiness Assessment for State Boards of Education, guides state boards of education through the complex process of reviewing, adopting, and implementing new science standards, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.

Central to the resource is a “self-assessment matrix” that walks states through a series of questions to gauge their overall readiness to adopt and implement science standards, identify gaps, determine which processes and policies are appropriate, and monitor progress toward implementation. The guide also includes suggestions for policymakers to begin communicating key decisions to the public.

“State boards of education can, and often do, provide important leadership in setting policies related to state standards, advocating for change, and bringing multiple stakeholders together,” write the authors. “While many organizations have developed resources to support implementation of new science standards, this document goes beyond others by providing clear examples, resources, and a step-by-step process that state boards of education can use to begin this work.”

Download and read New Science Standards: A Readiness Assessment for State Boards of Education.

This resource was created through a collaborative partnership between the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders (GTL Center) at American Institutes for Research and NASBE.

The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America’s state and territorial boards of education. Our principal objectives are to strengthen state leadership in education policymaking, advocate equality of access to educational opportunity, promote excellence in the education of all students, and ensure responsible lay governance of education. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

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