Department seeks science educators to review standards

The Iowa Department of Education is seeking science educators and stakeholders to serve on a statewide committee to review and update the statewide academic standards for science.

The standards outline what students must learn to be prepared for success as they progress each year and after high school.

The committee will meet regularly for two months starting in October and look into updated research and practices, recommending changes to the standards when appropriate. These meetings will be a combination of live and virtual. 

State standards across all subjects are reviewed regularly to ensure the content is current and aligns with best practices.

Following this work, the Department will seek public input on the proposed changes, which will inform and help them refine revisions to the standards. A final standards proposal will go before the State Board of Education for consideration. If adopted, the revised science standards will be required of school districts. In all, the review, revision and adoption process can take up to seven months.

The deadline to apply for the committee is Sept. 11. Questions regarding science standards and the work of the state review team can be directed to Christopher Like, education program consultant for science, at chris.like@iowa.gov.

About Iowa’s academic standards: Iowa’s academic standards provide a set of common expectations for school districts across the state while allowing for decisions regarding curriculum and how it is delivered to be made locally. The standards establish what students must learn to be prepared for success after high school. Local schools and educators continue to set and oversee curriculum and instruction decisions.

In addition to science, Iowa’s academic standards also cover literacy, mathematics, social studies and 21st-century skills, such as financial literacy. They also include recommended standards for computer science, fine arts, physical education and health. New mathematics and literacy standards were adopted by the State Board of Education earlier this year.