New Science Standards: A Readiness Assessment for State Boards of Education
From the Publisher: “This document consists of a self-assessment matrix – a Standards Readiness Assessment – as well as guidance and explanations that SBE (state board of education) members can use interactively to help determine their state’s overall readiness to adopt and implement science standards. Its purpose is to help SBEs identify existing gaps and monitor their states’ progress toward readiness in each of the process and policy domains described in the assessment. Based on SBE members’ answers to the guiding questions, the Standards Readiness Assessment offers action steps to influence or promote their states’ readiness for implementing new science standards in each domain.”
The purpose of this publication – providing guidance on utilization of effective methodology, references, and links to other resources – is effectively described and met. The authors have incorporated various state spotlights and other sections into a relatively easy-to-read publication with an effective design. Although evidence of states actually using this resource is not provided, the overall thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and supporting graphics should help states in various stages of implementation of new state science standards. The many links to other resources should be helpful, and of more than a dozen links checked, only one was no longer active. Overall, this is an excellent resource.