NDE Seeks Public Input on Draft College and Career Ready Standards for Science

Nebraska Department of Education, courtesy

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Education has released the first draft of proposed revisions to the Nebraska College and Career Readiness Standards for the Sciences and is seeking public input. The information collected will be used as part of the standards review and revision process.

Nebraska state law requires updated reading, writing, math, science, and social studies standards every seven years. The current science standards, which cover the law’s science requirements, were approved in 2017. Once approved by the State Board of Education, the standards create the framework for science education in Nebraska.

Nebraska educators from kindergarten through postsecondary education, including public and nonpublic schools, helped develop the first draft of the proposed science standards. Approval is expected in fall 2024.

Nebraska’s content area standards reflect the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire in a given content area. By establishing clear learning criteria, content area standards provide guidance to teachers in developing learning experiences for students. The standards do not prescribe a specific curriculum, lessons, teaching techniques, or activities. Decisions about curriculum and instruction are made locally by individual school districts and teachers.

The public is encouraged to review the proposed draft science standards. Public input can be provided through the Public Input Survey and through the Science Standards Input email ([email protected]). The public inquiry will end on May 30, 2024.