1. An overview of the new science standards
Quality science education is based on standards that are rich in content and practice, with aligned curricula, pedagogy, assessment, and teacher preparation and development. It has been nearly 15 years since the National Research Council and the American Association for Advancement in Science produced the seminal documents on which most state standards are based. Since that time, major advances in science and our understanding of how students learn science have taken place and need to be reflected in state standards. The time is right to advance toward Next Generation Science Standards. 

2. How was Arkansas Involved in the Development of the NGSS?
In 2011, Arkansas became one of 26 states to lead the development of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). AR was one of 26 lead state partners composed of a:
Broad Geographic Representation that Account for 58% of the nation’s public school students
Through our various writing teams and stakeholder groups there was representation from every state in the nation as well as from Puerto Rico, from a diverse community of elementary, middle, and high school teachers (from both rural and urban communities), administrators, state science directors and other key curriculum and assessment developers at the state level, as well as experts in career tech and the scientific fields of cognition, life science, earth science, physical science, and engineering.
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Arkansas had two members on the writing team
The writing team is truly led by the education community– most specifically K-12 educators and administrators that are in the classroom every day. The utility of the document is paramount and if the resulting standards aren’t useful in application, we would consider them a failed initiative.
Members of the writing team represented elementary, middle, and high school educators in both urban and rural communities. This prestigious group includes State Teachers of the Year, Einstein Fellows, Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching winners and individuals who hold offices in their respective professional organizations.
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Arkansas had a review team of 29 members from across the state representing CTE, ASTA, STEM Centers, Service cooperatives, K-12 science, literacy and math teachers, Business leaders, Higher education professionals, ADE assessment, curriculum & professional development representatives.
Writing Team Only
Lead State Partner Only
Lead State Partner and Writing Team

3. Vision of the NRC Framework
The main goal of the Framework is to ensure that by the end of high school all students have some appreciation of science, the ability to discuss and think critically about science-related issues, and the skills to pursue careers in science or engineering. ~Brian Reiser (2011)
Quoted~ Brian Reiser is one of the writers of the Framework and whose research is interested in the use/design of m
NRC Fidelity Review As a part of the NGSS development process, the NRC convened a fidelity review of the final draft of the NGSS, comparing the standards to the vision outlined in A Framework for K-12 Science Education. The reviewers concluded that the NGSS are consistent with the content and structure of the Framework.odels in life science instruction.
Vision of the NRC Framework

4. Transitions in Science Education
This is an overview diagram of the phase 1:NRC Framework, Phase 2: NGSS, and Phase 3 state implementation.
The National Academies is a non-governmental nonprofit institution of various organizations of science: National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council (NRC), National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine. Formed by President Lincoln to inform government on matters of science.
NRC wrote the first set of national science standards in 1996.
The NRC (National Research Council) Framework is from the scientific community. The guiding principles of the Framework are how students learn science, core scientific ideas accepted by the scientific community, the development of understanding over time, the connection between knowledge and practice, student interest and experiences, and the promotion of equity among all learners.
A Framework for K-12 Science Ed is from the scientific community. Its principles focus on how students learn science, core scientific ideas accepted by the scientific community, the development of understanding over time, the connection between knowledge and practice, student interest and experiences, and the promotion of equity.
With the release of the new Framework we are focusing specifically on deepening understanding of core concepts.
The National Academies have the horsepower and wherewithal to provide the framework for clearer, fewer, and better standards.
By focusing on one framework and one set of standards, the scientific and education communities can provide the guidance and expertise to get these right.
The Framework informed the NGSS. The NGSS will inform the development of the AR K-12 Science Standards
Standards inform Assessment. Curricula, Instruction and Professional development
Standards tell students/teachers what to do
Curriculum is how to teach the Standards
Instruction is what pedagogy is used to teach the Standards
Assessment is how to clarify that students have reached proficiency
The science content of Next Gen. Science Standards is taken directly from the Framework.
NGSS development process is now at the public comment phase. First public release was at the end of April Look for another opportunity to comment on these standards in the Fall of 2012.
Transitions in Science Education

5. The Case for Next Generation Science Standards
At 3:03 min Steve Long, chemistry teacher at Rogers High School, Rogers, Arkansas, speaks as to how his teaching will change in a good way for students.
The Case for Next Generation Science Standards

6. On April 10, 2014, the Arkansas State Board of Education unanimously voted to endorse the NGSS as a basis for the development of new K-12 science standards. The endorsement authorized the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) to develop the NGSS into standards that fit Arkansas's curriculum mandates. When completed, Arkansas’s new science standards will reflect the conceptual shifts and represent what students should know and be able to achieve.


Since the State Board endorsement, work has been underway to help prepare districts to implement the new Arkansas K-12 Science Standards in their classrooms. ADE leadership has developed a timeline and a statewide implementation plan for the new standards.

7. Next Steps in Arkansas
Endorsed by SBE. AR K-12 Science Standards will be Written
Continue to teach the Arkansas Science Curriculum Framework
Become familiar with the Practices and Crosscutting Concepts and ADE 2 Day PD
Begin to incorporate the Practices and Crosscutting Concepts into your curriculum
Very important to distinguish between endorsement, adoption and implementation.
Endorsement versus adoption – We have the authority from the State Board of Education to use the vast body of knowledge and research behind NGSS as the basis for our state standards. By law, our standards must be research based and since the Framework for K12 Science Education embodies that research - our standards will have to be true to the 3-dimensional PEs of the NGSS.
The standards are being phased in because there is a lot of work to do to be ready for this big change.
The website has a plethora of resources for teachers as they begin implementation.
There are several steps spelled out in legislation that must take place before any standards are adopted by the Arkansas State Board of Education.
Spring 2013
NGSS Broad-based committee will review the final version of NGSS and their input will be recorded.-DONE
Release of Science Standards FAQs -DONE
Summer 2013
State-wide committee of stakeholders reviewed NGSS and made recommendations to ADE on whether or not NGSS is best for Arkansas-DONE (Committee did recommend to use NGSS as basis for AR standards)
Cooperative and STEM center specialists will offer PD titled “Planning for Next Generation Science Standards: Understanding the Vision, a one-day PD-DONE
ADE sends a team to participate in Building Capacity in State Science Education meeting with 40+ states to discuss adoption and implementation of NGSS-DONE
Fall 2013
Arkansas Science Curriculum Frameworks will be taught and assessed until further notice
ADE will review recommendations from the committee and decide the next steps-DONE
NGSS was taken to the State Board of Education (SBE), they ENDORSED the use of NGSS as the basis of our new Arkansas K-12 Science Standards
Fall 2014
Teacher committees will develop the K-8 standards during the fall and the 9-12 standards will be developed during the summer of K-8 COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN FORMED AND HAVE STARTED MEETING
Successful implementation of science standards requires time and careful planning
A Plan for the implementation of new science content standards will go to the board in Summer 2014
If the State Board chooses to adopt the Arkansas science standards, then an implementation plan will be put into place.
Implementation will be a multi-year process to be determined.

8. Science & Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas
Crosscutting
Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
Next Generation Science Standards
Three Dimensions of the Framework for K-12 Science Education

9. NGSS is Different Standards expressed as Performance Expectations.
Combine core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts into a single statement of what is to be assessed.
Performance Expectations are not instructional strategies or objectives for a lesson.
The NGSS, science standards are characterized differently than in most current state science standards and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). The NGSS are written as performance expectations that blend disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts to define what is to be assessed. The NGSS performance expectations do not represent instructional strategies or objectives for individual lessons.
Stress that Arkansas’s New Science Standards will have to be very close to the NGSS in order to meet our law that requires they be based on the latest research in science education – the Framework

10. Explain how to read the standards document
Explain how to read the standards document. The committees that wrote the NGSS wanted teachers to understand the basis for each standard in order to eliminate as much confusion as possible. With each set of Performance Expectations, foundation boxes have been included that specify in more detail the level to which the practice and crosscutting concepts should be taught as well as the content standards from which the performance expectation was based. Each performance expectation also includes a clarification statement that gives examples and an assessment boundary.
The NGSS can be grouped by Disciplinary Core Idea or Topic Arrangements.

11. Three-Dimensional Learning
MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem
Display S (3 Dimensional Learning). This is a middle school performance expectation. All Performance Expectations are set up this way. Teachers will be able to dissect the standards into Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science & Engineering Practices.

12. Three-Dimensional Learning Dissected
MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for
the effects of
resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
The blue sentence fragment reveals the Science & Engineering Practice
  The green sentence fragment reveals Crosscutting Concept (Cause & Effect)
The orange sentence fragment reveals the Core Idea (content)

13.
direct teachers to this URL where they can find the interactive versions.
Download a copy of the NGSS; Review the Appendices

14. Graphic is a link to arkansased
Graphic is a link to arkansased.org Home page Show how to get to the standards page.