The Light Bulb

The shift to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will make it easier to embed Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Literacy. With the focus off rote memorization, reading, writing and critical thinking will be fundamental skills in a science class The United States’ ability to innovate depends on science education. Citizens are required to use critical thinking and communication skills in a global economy driven by advancements in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The National Science Foundation reports there are currently between 2-3 million unfilled positions due to the lack of qualified candidates in the areas of STEM. The NGSS emphasizes the eight practices (skills and knowledge) essential to scientists and engineers in their workplaces and intertwines these practices with the core ideas students are learning in science class. They include: Asking questions and defining problems; developing and using models; planning and carrying out i...

The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) created a safeguard for state control and a move away from federal control over education. Education leaders in Common Core states are now refocusing their attention on helping teachers and students succeed using the standards. The Harvard Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) recently released a  study  on Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation. The study is meant to help leaders effectively implement CCSS using evidence about what is working and what is not working. Despite the additional work that comes with implementing new standards, teachers and principals have largely embraced the Common Core. According to the study, 73 percent of teachers reported that they have embraced the new standards “quite a bit” or “fully.” More than two-thirds of principals believe that the new standards will lead to improved student learning. Michigan needs consistent standards that will provide appropriate benchmarks f...