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Next Generation Science Standards
Link to NGSS

California Science Teachers Association: Statement on Final Release of NGSS

The release of the Next Generation Science Standards marks the beginning of an exciting process to update and improve science education for the children in California public schools. CSTA is pleased with the blend of disciplinary content, cross cutting concepts, and the science and engineering practices as a way to prepare our students to enter the increasingly technological workforce of the 21st century.

Selected Next Generation Science Standards Resources

• California Classroom Science NGSS Blog
• Next Generation Science Standards Website - including development timeline.
• NGSS/New Science Standards Development and Adoption Timeline for California (pdf) (CDE resource)
• NGSS Development Fact Sheet
• California Department of Education NGSS Resources - including a link to register with the NGSS listserv.
• NSTA NGSS Resources Website (including a reader's guide to the Framework, webinars on scientific practices, and more)
• PDF of Power Point from California Science Education Conference Workshop: Next Generation Science Standards: An Overview and Connection to Common Core - revised for second public draft (.pdf, 4MB)
• Power Point developed by Dean Gilbert and Phil Lafontaine for NGSS Orientation for Second Public Review (.ppt, 15MB)
• Webinar on the Framework
• Webinar on the NGSS
• Draft Standards (May 2012)
• Draft Standards - by DCI (January 2013) - 9MB
• Draft Standards - by Topic (January 2013) - 9MB
• NGSS Site with Appendices and Front Matter relating to the January 2013 draft.

NGSS and 2013 California Science Standards Revision

Key Facts:

• The first public draft of the NGSS was available for review May 14 - June 1, 2012. The second and fianl public draft was available for review January 8 - 29, 2013. The final version of the NGSS are expected to be released in March 2013.
• SB 1200 (Hancock) extended the timeline for the adoption of new science standards in California to later in 2013. The bill moved the deadlines of March 30, 2013 and July 30, 2013 outlined in SB 300 (see below) to July 31, 2013 and November 30, 2013, respectively. This extension of the timeline allows Achieve, the organization writing the NGSS, more time to incorporate changes based on the public and state-level feedback they received from their first drafts.
• SB 300 (Hancock) was signed by Governor Brown in October, 2011. This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to present to the State Board of Education recommended science content standards by March 30, 2013. The drafting of these recommended standards are to utilize the Next Generation Science Standards as the basis for deliberations and recommendations to the state board. The State Board must then adopt, reject, or modify the presented standards by July 30, 2013.
• California is participating as a lead state partner in the development and review process of the Next Generation Science Standards, whose drafting are being coordinated by Achieve. Part of the commitment of being a lead state partner is to "give serious consideration to adopting the resulting Next Generation Science Standards as presented."
• The drafting of the Next Generation Science Standards is being guided by A K-12 Framework for Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, authored by the National Academy of Sciences. The Framework is available for free download. A thorough understanding of this document will facilitate your understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards.
• The team writing the standards includes teachers.