Go ahead and add Nevada to the list of states that have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards. Today’s unanimous vote by the state board of education makes it the ninth state to have officially adopted the common science standards, which emphasize application, scientific inquiry, and engineering design. (The District of Columbia has adopted as well.)
As I wrote in a recent story, the new science standards have been moving slowly in the states, but proponents say the speed is on par with what they’d expected. Unlike with the Commmon Core State Standards, for which adoption earned states points on their Race to the Top applications, states have no financial incentives to adopt the NGSS.
Illinois made the last move on the standards—the state board approved them but official adoption is pending legislative review. And as I mentioned in a previous post, Oregon is close as well ... though it turns out my prediction that they were next in line was wrong.
Some reactions below:
A great day for science education! NV State Board of Ed adopts the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) @CCSDSSL,#NGSS,#science
— Eileen Gilligan (@EileenGilligan) February 26, 2014
Boo. RT: @kportermagee Meanwhile, Nevada adopts #NGSS
— Michelle Gininger (@mgininger) February 26, 2014
And we have liftoff! The Nevada Department of Education has moved to adopt the NextGenerationScienceStandards!!! #NGSS #CCSD
— Science Site Leaders (@CCSDSSL) February 26, 2014