Science Education Program Standards

The science education program standards describe the conditions necessary for quality school science programs. They focus on six areas:

A. The consistency of the science program with the other standards and across grade levels.

B. The inclusion of all content standards in a variety of curricula that are developmentally appropriate, interesting, relevant to student's lives, organized around inquiry, and connected with other school subjects.

C. The coordination of the science program with mathematics education.

D. The provision of appropriate and sufficient resources to all students.

E. The provision of equitable opportunities for all students to learn the standards.

F. The development of communities that encourage, support, and sustain teachers.

Program standards deal with issues at the school and district level that relate to opportunities for students to learn and opportunities for teachers to teach science. The first three standards address individuals and groups responsible for the design, development, selection, and adaptation of science programs--including teachers, curriculum directors, administrators, publishers, and school committees. The last three standards describe the conditions necessary if science programs are to provide appropriate opportunities for all students to learn science.

Each school and district must translate the National Science Education Standards into a program that reflects local contexts and policies. The program standards discuss the planning and actions needed to provide comprehensive and coordinated experiences for all students across all grade levels. This can be done in many ways, because the Standards do not dictate the order, organization, or framework for science programs.