UTAH SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
CHALLENGES
&PROGRESS IN
EDUCATION
Why Utah needs new science standards
What has changed since the drafting of the last UT
science standards?
S
2000 – GPS goes mainstream
S
2000 – Text messaging introduced by AT&T
S
2003 – Human genome map is completed
S
2003 – Social Networking is launched with Friendster
S
2006 – Pluto is reclassified as a dwarf planet
S
2006 – Direct evidence confirms the existence of
dark matter
S
2007 – Apple releases the iPhone
S
2008 – First planet outside of our solar system
observed by Hubble Space telescope
S
2008 – NASA Rovers discover evidence of water
on Mars
S
2009 – Advanced robotic limbs are developed by
connecting electrodes and wires to human
nerve endings
S
2010 – Creation of the first synthetic genome for a
bacterial cell
S
2013 – Voyager 1 spacecraft goes beyond the edge
of our solar system
The new UT Science and Engineering
Education (SEEd) Standards:
1. Update Utah’s science standards to reflect
current and relevant research in science,
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technology, and education. Since Utah
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last adopted science standards, there have
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been major advances in science and our
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understanding of how students learn
science. Our students deserve to learn the most
current science available taught using the most
effective methods.
2. Bring science and engineering practices into
the K-12 science classroom to support
the application of science in project-based
learning for students articulated through
performance expectations.
3. Identify science and engineering practices,
crosscutting concepts, and content that
prepare all students for collaborative and
interdisciplinary collegiate and career
opportunities.
4. Prepare students for their roles as citizens in a
technology-rich and scientifically-complex
world, creating opportunities for students
to engage in the increased demand for a
STEM-ready workforce in the Utah economy.
5. Embed science in the classroom at an earlier age,
when children are asking lots of questions
about the world and how it works. This
builds on their inherent curiosity and it is
an opportunity to learn and apply Utah
literacy and math skills at the same time.
1. Share this information with your
community members in meetings and
through social media.
i
Percent of 2014 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting ACT
College Readiness Benchmarks by Subject
80
70
60
Percent
What action can you take to
support science for Utah students
and teachers?
50
40
30
.GOV
3. Contact the Utah State Office of
Education Science Specialist
([email protected])
to get involved with sharing your
expertise in the revision and public
review process.
20
10
0
5. Write an op-ed for your local paper or
blog.
Mathematics
Science All Four Subjects
50
40
30
20
10
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Percent of 2010–2014 ACT-Tested High School Graduates Meeting
ACT College Readiness Benchmarks**
80
70
60
50
Percent
6. Familiarize yourself with the
foundation and creation of the
National Research Council’s A
Framework for K-12 Science Education
and the Next Generation Science
Standards.*
Reading
Percentage of UT Juniors meeting Benchmarks in Science
4. Write a letter of support to your state
school board representatives and state
education leadership.
NEWS
English
ACT benchmark scores represent a level of achievement required for
students to have a 50 percent chance of earning a B or 75 percent
chance of earning a C in a college-level class.
Percent
2. Contact your local and state
representatives to let them know you
support the new UT SEEd Standards
for K-12 students.
40
74
73
61
60
45
47
32
33
26
27
2010
English
63
63
40
45
38
43
29
36
36
23
24
25
2011
2012
2013
2014
Reading
Mathematics
Science
All Four Subjects
30
20
64
54
39
10
0
** ACT College Readiness Benchmark in reading and science were revised in 2013.
* Where Can I Find the Framework?
www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13165
* Where Can I Find the Next Generation Science Standards?
www.nextgenscience.org