"National" Science Framework
Last updated: July 13, 2010
Framework for “National” Science Standards Available for
Review and Comment
A working draft of the National Research Council’s conceptual
framework to guide the development of “next generation” standards
for science education is online and available for review and
comment by the public. This framework is the first step in
a process for revising existing standards in K-12 science
education which were published over a decade ago.
The existing standards and benchmarks, developed in the early
to mid 1990s by the National Research Council and the American
Association for the Advancement of Science, respectively,
have been used by many states as the basis for developing
their own state standards. California did not use
these documents in developing our state standards in 1997-98.
The National Research Council (NRC) convened a panel of
18 experts to develop the framework. The committee members,
working as volunteers, represent expertise in the natural
sciences, learning sciences, learning and teaching, curriculum,
assessment, and education policy. The next step in the process
will be the development of a full set of standards based on
the framework. Achieve, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit,
has been tasked with working closely with states to develop
the standards. It is unclear how, if at all, these standards
will be used as “common core” standards to be adopted by the
states, much as the mathematics and language arts common core
standards are now being debated and adopted by states. California’s
Academic Standards Commission is currently reviewing the common
core standards in math and language arts for possible adoption
by the California State Board of Education.
The NRC is asking for feedback on the draft conceptual framework.
Reviewers are asked to focus their feedback on four main issues:
(1) Does the framework identify the most important ideas
and practices for K-12 science education and describe them
(2) Are there any important major areas of science that have
been overlooked and are important for ALL students to know?
(3) Are the progressions across grades appropriate?
(4) Is the framework organized in a way that is accessible
The period for public comment runs from July 12
through August 2, after which the committee will
consider all of the submitted comments and make appropriate
revisions to the framework.
The NRC reminds reviewers that the document is a framework
only; it is not a set of fully elaborated standards. Therefore,
it does not include an articulation of the ideas and practices
at every grade level. Instead, it offers descriptions only
at some key grade level “anchor points.” Similarly, it does
not provide specifications for performance expectations for
all of the ideas and practices at these anchor points. Rather,
it offers some examples to serve as illustrations for standards
The final report is expected to be publicly released in
the first quarter of 2011.
The draft framework and survey can be found at http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/Standards_Framework_Preliminary_Public_Draft.pdf