New report: NextGen Science Standards inferior to many states own standards

The new, Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) don’t exactly shine in a new, Fordham Institute report on state science standards.

Says Fordham, the NGSS are:

“…clearly inferior to those of twelve states and the District of Columbia, as well as the NAEP and TIMSS frameworks.”

Fordham awarded the NGSS a rather unimpressive “C,” scarcely much better than the “D” Kentucky earned for its old, CATS standards.

Here are three telling comments:

“In reality, we found virtually no mathematics in the physical science standards, even at the high school level, where it is essential to the learning of physics and chemistry. Rather, the standards seem to avoid the mathematical demands inherent in the subjects covered.”

“High school physical science content is virtually nonexistent. Entire areas that are fundamental to the understanding of physics and chemistry—and essential prerequisites for advanced study—are omitted. Among these are chemical formulas, chemical equations, the mole concept and its applications, kinematics, thermodynamics, and pretty much all of modern physics, including all of the advances of physics since about 1950, as well as their transformative engineering applications.”

“Missing, too, is content covering simple electric circuits, including voltage, current, resistance, their measurement, and Ohm’s law, V = iR, the relationship among them.”

Wow! The NGSS claim they will be preparing students better for careers in engineering. Not if Fordham is right about the claims above!

In fact, without understanding Ohm’s law, kids will be in trouble for non-college jobs such as an electrician!

How did all those folks in Kentucky who have been praising the standards all over the place – including those on the Kentucky Board of Education, who just voted to adopt the NGSS – miss this?