BOE Approves Science for the Next Generation Standards

The adoption of Next Generation Science Standards was approved this week by the Hawai’i State Board of Education.

Under the standards, a new approach will be brought to learning science.

BOE officials say the new standards are interwoven across disciplines, including connections to language arts and mathematics.

NGSS set the following performance expectations:

• Disciplinary Core Ideas (science specific concepts in the life, earth, engineering, and physical sciences).
• Science and Engineering Practices (the practices of engaging in scientific investigation to answer questions and engineering design to solve problems).
• Crosscutting Concepts (conceptual ideas common to all areas of science).

Previous Hawai’i Content and Performance Standards III for Science will be replaced by the new NGSS.

DOE will now work on a four-year implementation plan, which is set to be presented at an upcoming BOE meeting.

“Unlike previous content standards, the NGSS is aimed to excite young people about science and engineering,” said Suzanne Mulcahy, assistant superintendent of the Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Student Support. “The NGSS aligns with our strategic approach to preparing students for life because it effectively connects scientific concepts to careers.”

Full implementation of NGSS is aimed to take effect for the school year 2018-2019 for middle and high schools and school year 2019-2020 for elementary schools.