Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

Subject Area: Science

How Are States Reporting on College and Career Readiness?

From the Publisher: “Preparing students for success in college and careers is one of the primary goals of our education system. How states track and report progress toward the goal of college and career readiness is important for public accountability and transparency; making data available publicly provides a window into how students – and the […]

Overview: State Definitions of College and Career Readiness

This overview highlights common elements of state definitions of “college and career readiness.” Through the review of state definitions, the author identifies six broad common categories, including academic knowledge; critical thinking and/or problem solving; social and emotional learning, collaboration, and/or communication; grit, resilience, and perseverance; citizenship and/or community involvement; and other additional activities. 

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 […]

A New Vision for Accountability

Student assessments face challenges of quality, cost, and appropriate use, writes scholar Linda Darling-Hammond. Written for school board members, this article is brief and to the point about ensuring and implementing the use of high-quality assessments (a topic covered in numerous publications by Darling-Hammond and other assessment experts – see Related Resources below for a […]

Models and Modeling: An Introduction

This paper describes how modeling works in concert with all the other science practices in the classroom to promote students’ reasoning and understanding of core science ideas. Modeling usually works in tandem with another practice explanation. These two practices are at the heart of disciplinary work.

Professional Development for Science Teachers

This resource is an article in the April 2013 issue of Science. It is available through subscription (personal or library). The author offers an overview of the call for improving science education in the United States, and the role that the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) play in accomplishing this endeavor, through the critical lens […]