Nebraska’s College and Career Ready Standards for Science are set to be revised, with the first draft of proposed revisions released by the Nebraska Department of Education. The department is seeking input from the public as part of the standards review and revision process. As per Nebraska state law, standards for reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies must be updated every seven years. The current science standards were approved in 2017 and form the foundation for science education in the state.

Educators from pre-kindergarten to postsecondary, including public and non-public schools, worked together to develop the first draft of the proposed science standards. The State Board of Education is expected to finalize approval by the fall of 2024. These standards outline what students are expected to learn in the science content area and provide guidance to teachers on how to develop learning experiences for their students.

It’s important to note that standards do not dictate specific curriculum, lessons, teaching techniques or activities. Those decisions are made locally by individual school districts and classroom teachers. The public is encouraged to review the proposed draft of the science standards and provide feedback through a public input survey and a science standards input email address before the deadline on May 30, 2024.