1. Next Generation Science Standards Implementation
Carrie Roberts Professional Learning Support Division California Department of Education

2. NGSS Science education is central to the lives of all Americans.
Educators need to prepare students to be informed citizens in a democracy and knowledgeable consumers.  
All students must have a solid 22 science education that prepares them for life, college, and career.
Science—and therefore science education—is central to the lives of all Americans, preparing them to be informed citizens in a democracy and knowledgeable consumers.  If the nation is to compete and lead in the global economy and if American students are to be able to pursue expanding employment opportunities in science-related fields, all students must have a solid K–12 science education that prepares them for college and careers.

3. Who developed the NGSS?
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were developed through a collaborative state-led process. Twenty-six states (including California) volunteered to work with the 41 members of the writing team to lead the development of the standards.
State committees consisted of representatives from the K-12 education, education policy, scientific, post-secondary education, and informal science communities. As of July 2014, twelve states (including Delaware) and the District of Columbia have adopted the NGSS as their state science education standards. Were any of you on the committee?

4. How are they different? NGSS were developed by states, for states.
Benchmarked against countries whose students perform well in science and engineering fields. 
Built upon a vision for quality science education for ALL students—not just a select few.
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a set of K-12 science standards developed by states, for states.
The NGSS were benchmarked against countries whose students perform well in science and engineering fields, including Finland, South Korea, England, Japan and Singapore.
The NGSS were built upon a vision for quality science education for ALL students—not just a select few.

5. NGSS and Environmental Principles and Concepts
Principle I - People Depend on Natural Systems
Principle II - People Influence Natural Systems
Principle III - Natural Systems Change in Ways that People Benefit from and can Influence
Principle IV - There are no Permanent or Impermeable Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between Systems
Principle V - Decisions Affecting Resources and Natural Systems are Complex and Involve Many Factors
From an aspirational standpoint, the Framework points out that science and engineering are needed to address major world challenges such as generating sufficient clean energy, preventing and treating diseases, maintaining supplies of food and clean water, and solving the problems of global environmental change that confront society today. These important challenges will motivate many students to continue or initiate their study of science and engineering. People Depend on Natural Systems The continuation and health of individual human lives and of human communities and societies depend on the health of the natural systems that provide essential goods and ecosystem services. People Influence Natural Systems The long-term functioning and health of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems are influenced by their relationships with human societies.
Natural Systems Change in Ways that People Benefit from and can Influence Natural systems proceed through cycles that humans depend upon, benefit from, and can alter.  There are no Permanent or Impermeable Boundaries that Prevent Matter from Flowing Between Systems The exchange of matter between natural systems and human societies affects the long-term functioning of both.

6. Three Dimensional Learning

7. Cross-Cutting Concepts
They are common themes that are seen across all domains of science.
Patterns
Cause-Effect: Mechanism and Explanation
Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
Systems and System Models
Energy and Matter
Structure and Function
Stability and Change
The Framework emphasizes that these concepts need to be made explicit for students because they provide an organizational schema for interrelating knowledge from various science fields into a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world.

8. Disciplinary Core Ideas
An important role of science education is not to teach “all the facts” but rather to prepare students with sufficient core knowledge.
Physical Science
Life Science
Earth and Space Science
Engineering Design
Disciplinary core ideas have the power to focus K–12 science curriculum, instruction and assessments on the most important aspects of science. To be considered core, the ideas should meet at least two of the following criteria and ideally all four:
Have broad importance across multiple  sciences or engineering disciplines or be a key organizing concept of a single discipline; 
Provide a key tool for understanding or investigating more complex ideas and solving problems;
Relate to the interests and life experiences of students or be connected to societal or personal concerns that require scientific or technological knowledge;
Be teachable and learnable over multiple grades at increasing levels of depth and sophistication.
Disciplinary ideas are grouped in four domains: the physical sciences; the life sciences; the earth and space sciences; and engineering, technology and applications of science.

9. Science and Engineering Practices
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Developing and using models
Planning and carrying out investigations
Analyzing and interpreting data
Using mathematics and computational thinking
Constructing explanations and designing solutions
Engaging in argument from evidence
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
The practices describe behaviors that scientists engage in as they investigate and build models and theories about the natural world and the key set of engineering practices that engineers use as they design and build models and systems. The NRC uses the term practices instead of a term like “skills” to emphasize that engaging in scientific investigation requires not only skill but also knowledge that is specific to each practice. Part of the NRC’s intent is to better explain and extend what is meant by “inquiry” in science and the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires.
Although engineering design is similar to scientific inquiry, there are significant differences. For example, scientific inquiry involves the formulation of a question that can be answered through investigation, while engineering design involves the formulation of a problem that can be solved through design. Strengthening the engineering aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards will clarify for students the relevance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the four STEM fields) to everyday life.

10. Performance Expectations Let’s Look at Some!

11. The CA NGSS Implementation Plan for California
Provides 8 Guiding Strategies
Includes a timeline of significant events
Highlights opportunities for LEAs and Community Stakeholders
Begins the process of updating school curriculum and equipment to match the latest scientific knowledge and technology
SBE Approved similar to those included in the CA CCSS implementation plan with the 8th strategy added to establish
The Next Generation Science Standards Systems Implementation Plan for California (Plan) will begin the important and well-anticipated process of updating school curriculum and equipment to match the latest scientific knowledge and technology. More significant and difficult work will be needed to take teaching and learning into areas that are new and unfamiliar to many educators and students; from incorporating science and engineering practices into instruction to using project based learning and other instructional strategies. The challenges of integrating these strategies throughout all grade levels and merging learning across multiple subjects and disciplines will create unique opportunities for teaching and learning throughout California.
This implementation plan, developed with input from a wide array of stakeholders, and grounded in the latest research and experience about what works, sets a roadmap to achieve dramatic and necessary transformations in how science will be taught in every school throughout the state. It will also require sustained leadership and resources to reach its ambitious goals.

12. CA Next Generation Science Standards Systems Implementation Timeline & Key Events
March 2016:
Anticipated CDE Recommendations to the SBE on Science Assessments
July 2014:
Science Assessment Stakeholder Meetings Begin
2017:
Anticipated List of SBE-Adopted K–8 Science Instructional Materials Adoption
November 6, 2013:
California SBE Adopts Preferred Integrated Model for Grades 6–8 and Authorizes Discipline Specific Model as Alternative Model for Grades 6–8
September 4, 2013:
California SBE Adopts Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
March–May, 2014:
Science Leadership Team develops State Implementation Plan for CA NGSS
January–February 2014:
NGSS Framework Focus Groups and Public Comment
April 2014–June 2017:
NGSS Awareness/Transition/Implementation Leadership Workshops & Webinars
2014–2018:
CA K-8 NGSS Early Implementation Initiative
2014–2016:
Revision of CA Science Curriculum Framework
Anticipated Administration of NGSS Science Assessments
February CDE Leadership convened to discuss implementation of CA NGSS; draft of State Implementation Plan developed
March - May 2014 A Science Leadership and Community Stakeholder Team was convened to provide input
April-May 2014 CA NGSS Awareness Rollouts held in collaboration with K-12 Alliance/WestEd, California Science Project, California Science Teachers Association, Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee
July 2014 First draft of Plan posted for public comment
October 2014 Additional CA NGSS Awareness Rollouts held
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018

14. CS NGSS Implementation Plan Guiding Strategies
Professional Learning
Instructional Resources
Assessment
Expanded Learning
Postsecondary and Business
Resources
Communication
Coalition Building
Facilitate high quality professional learning opportunities for educators to ensure that every student has access to teachers who are prepared to teach and facilitate student learning to the levels of rigor and depth required by the CA NGSS.
 Provide CA NGSS-aligned instructional resources designed to meet the diverse needs of all students.
Develop and transition to CA NGSS-aligned assessments that supports the improvement of teaching and learning and provide information that may be used for accountability.
 Collaborate with parents, guardians, and the early childhood and expanded learning communities to integrate the CA NGSS into programs and activities beyond the K–12 school setting.
Collaborate with the postsecondary and business communities and additional stakeholders to ensure that all students are prepared for success in career and college.
 Seek, create, and disseminate resources to support stakeholders as the CA NGSS systems implementation moves forward.
 Design and establish systems of effective communication regarding CA NGSS among stakeholders to continuously identify areas of need and disseminate information.
Build coalitions to ensure a consistent message and to sustain momentum during implementation
The Plan identifies these eight strategies across the three phases (awareness, transition, and implementation) for the implementation of the CA NGSS. The guiding strategies show not only how existing operational systems will be redeployed, but also how these strategies will interweave to tackle some of the major challenges for science education in California. It is therefore critical that this plan be supported with sufficient resources to fully address the challenges that teachers, schools and districts will face.

15. The Work at the State and Local Levels
Expand science education in elementary schools
Support educators to deliver instruction in ways that integrate content
Provide ongoing, job-embedded professional learning
Coordinate with partners within and well beyond the traditional education community
Some of the areas that we need to focus on as we implement the CA NGSS include:
Expanding science education in elementary schools to ensure all students develop the fundamentals of scientific understanding from the earliest grades.
Supporting educators to deliver instruction in ways that integrate content among and beyond the scientific disciplines in order to connect students to the way problems exist in the real-world.
Providing ongoing, job-embedded professional learning to grow teacher capabilities to effectively implement the pedagogical shifts of the CA-NGSS and help school leaders create and support the conditions for more rigorous and engaging science learning.
Coordinating with partners within and well beyond the traditional education community in order to expand the time and resources available to support student learning at the increased scale needed to achieve improvements in student access and achievement.

16. Strategy 8: Coalition Building
Design and participate in state and local coalitions to support quality implementation
Provide momentum and develop consistent messages and information.
Identify and prioritize NGSS implementation issues and needs.
Develop and refine messages and materials.
Strategy 8 addresses the design and implementation of coalitions of people who have joined together for the common purpose of supporting the quality implementation of the CA NGSS. The enactment of this strategy requires a collaborative partnership between the CDE, LEAs, expanded learning professionals, and local community stakeholders including but not limited to: business and industry, county offices of education, professional learning providers, institutes of higher education, professional organizations, science centers and museums, science informal education providers, public media providers, and other partners.
The purpose of coalition building is to provide momentum and develop consistent messages and information that is responsive to the needs at all levels: state, regional, and local. The messages are tailored to a variety of audiences to build understanding, foster interest, and lay the foundation for broad support of the quality implementation of the CA NGSS.
Strategy 8 includes the following elements:
Coalition Building and Coalition Purpose: This element addresses the identification and establishment of coalitions and their members over the course of the CA NGSS implementation and beyond. The coalitions are viewed as changing and expanding entities with multiple and diverse members who have vested interests in the effective implementation of the CA NGSS. This element addresses coalitions at the state and local levels and describes how community stakeholders can inform and support each.
Dissemination of Consistent Messaging: This element addresses the need for consistent messaging across the state tailored to targeted audiences. The messages will need to be responsive to the changing needs throughout the implementation phases of the CA NGSS and will be relevant to the state, regional, and local contexts. Further, the messages will be data driven and support components of the system (e.g., professional learning, instructional

17. Professional Learning
Phase I Awareness Workshops (2014)
Ten 2-day events
Locations across CA
Phase II Workshops ( )
Phase III Workshops ( )
Handouts are available for Workshops!
The CDE in partnership with K-12 Alliance, the COEs, the CA Science Project, and CSTA to provide professional learning for teachers and administrators throughout seven regions that were well attended and extremely helpful to the field. They were funded through private funders the workshop in Oakland had room for 200. At least twice as many registered but were turned away. Additional workshops – Phase II are already being planned for next year.

18. More Information on the Implementation of CA NGSS
State Implementation Plan- PLS Division
New Science Framework aligned to the CA NGSS- CFIR Division
New assessments aligned to the CA NGSS- ADA Division

19. Carrie Roberts, Director
Questions
Carrie Roberts, Director
Professional Learning Support Division California Department of Education