Meeting Of The Committee On Developing Assessments For K-12 Science
From Mike Kaspar

The Next Generation of Science Standards isn’t completed, yet the Committee on Developing Assessments for K-12 Science , a committee of the National Research Council (NRC), has been formed. This new NRC committee was given the charge to develop A Framework for Assessment of Science Proficiency in K-12 Education led by the National Academies’ Board on Testing and Assessment.

Though it has been reported that states will decide whether to create assessments aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards, the Committee recently held a workshop as part of a study to explore strategies for assessing science practices, crosscutting concepts, and core ideas as described in the Framework for K-12 Science Education.

As a result of this September 13th meeting, the Committee indicates it will:

1. Make recommendations for strategies for developing assessments that validly measure student proficiency in science as laid out in the new K-12 science education framework,
2. Review recent and current, ongoing work in science assessment to determine which aspects of the necessary assessment system for the Framework’s vision can be assessed with available techniques,
3. Determine what additional research and development is required to create an overall assessment system for science education in K-12,
4. Prepare a report that includes a conceptual framework for science assessment in K-12, and
5. Make recommendations to state and national policymakers, research organizations, assessment developers, and study sponsors about the steps needed to develop valid, reliable and fair assessments for the Framework’s vision of science education.

The workshop was interesting, in the least, considering that it had been publicly stated that States would determine whether they would assess the next generation of science standards (NGSS). And, even though there are many issues regarding the addition of yet another standardized, high stakes test, there was a tacit assumption that an assessment would be developed around the NGSS.

While the Committee seems to have an altruistic, supportive role in regard to developing the assessment, an Einstein Fellow approached me and said “same old, same old,” even after hearing one presenter after another say how different these science standards are. Among those emphasizing the difference was Dr. Krajcik of Michigan State University, indicating their development around core ideas with an increased focus on blended performance and scientific practices. However, what is not different is the input of the teacher…there is little.

Albeit the many issues around Common Core state standards, if we are to make any difference this time around, we are going to have to consider the teacher ‘voice.’ Having only one teacher on the Committee on Developing Assessments for K-12 Science does not a ‘voice’ make.

Mike Kaspar, Ph.D. is Senior Policy Analyst at the National Education Association.

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