"Preparing Our Children:
Math and Science Education in the National Interest"
The National Science Board, which serves as the governing body for the National Science Foundation and provides advice to the President and Congress on matters of national science policy, published a comprehensive report in 1999 that relied on work done by the Task Force on Mathematics and Science Achievement (also known as the "TIMSS Task Force"). To see the entire report, click here. Below are some interesting highlights-
Page 3- "The future of the Nation depends on a strong, competitive workforce and a citizenry equipped to function in a complex world. That interest encompasses what every student in a grade should know and be able to do in mathematics and science. The connection of K-12 content standards to college admissions criteria is vital for conveying a national expectation: educational excellence improves not just the health of science, but everyone's life chances through productive employment, active citizenship, and continuous learning."
Page 4-
"Recommendation 1. To implement its core recommendation through instructional materials, the NSB urges:
(a) broad adoption of the principle of citizen review;
(b) active participation on citizen advisory boards by educators and practicing mathematicians and scientists, as well as parents and employers from knowledge-based industries; and
(c) use of public forums to foster dialog between textbook publishers and advisory boards in the review process."
Page 27: Conclusions-
"A generation ago, the NSB Commission on Precollege Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology advised: 'Our Children are the most important asset of our country; they deserve at least the heritage that was passed on to us . . . a level of mathematics, science and technology education that is the finest in the world, without sacrificing the American birthright of personal choice, equity and opportunity.'"
"The health of science and engineering tomorrow depends on improved mathematics and science preparation of our students today. The national interest is now a national imperative. We must see educational excellence as a shared responsibility and, above all, a tractable challenge to us all."
Nowhere in this NSF report does it recommend semester science courses in 9th and 10th grades. Much of what's in the report urges a more challenging and demanding curriculum. Moving from full-year courses to semester courses in order to prepare students to meet the minimum standards required to pass the MEAP test does not sound like a good way to prepare students for the rigors of the college science classes many of them will experience after they leave Portage Public Schools. High school should offer more than just meet the minimums.
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