Next Generation Science Standards for Today’s Students and Tomorrow’s Workforce:  Through a collaborative, state-led process managed by Achieve, new K–12 science standards are being developed that will be rich in content and practice, arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education. The NGSS will be based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education developed by the National Research Council.

Arlington, Va.  January 8, 2013  The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the largest organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all, issued the following statement today regarding the release of the second public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards. The statement can be attributed to Dr. Karen L. Ostlund, NSTA President.

“The second public draft of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) released today is a significant step forward in developing exemplary new standards that all states can support. When completed and adopted, these new science standards will change the way science is taught and learned in classrooms nationwide by fully engaging K–12 students in three essential dimensions - disciplinary core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts - in a way that will deepen and strengthen their knowledge and skills in science.

We applaud the NGSS writing team and the 26 states for their extensive efforts to develop, review, and revise these standards. We are pleased that many changes have been made based on feedback and look forward to working with Achieve and the writers on additional changes to ensure the final standards meet the needs of science educators across the country.

As a partner in the NGSS development process, NSTA will be working with science educators nationwide to identify and develop professional development and curricular materials that will be needed to work toward successful implementation of NGSS. The levels of achievement called for in NGSS are ambitious and we call on all stakeholders to help us build the capacity to adopt and implement the new standards and provide the broad support that schools and teachers will need in the months and years ahead.”

Click to see the full NSTA bulletin here:  http://www.nsta.org/about/pressroom.aspx?id=59760.