For Parents

A group of 20 states has been selected to lead the development of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a state-led effort that will clearly define the content and practices all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation. The Lead State Partners are Arizona, California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

Maine was one of a handful of states selected recently to help change how science is taught in schools, with the goal of placing more emphasis on practical applications of sometimes complicated facts and concepts.

The National Academy of Sciences released a framework today that will serve as the foundation for the creation of Next Generation Science Standards. The Framework for K–12 Science Education describes key ideas and practices in the natural sciences and engineering that all students should be familiar with by the time they graduate from high school.