As of February 2016, 18 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and many others are looking at what make up quality science standards. South Dakota adopted science standards that has very similar content but some modifications around climate change. NASBE is positioned to provide support to help states make informed, evidence-based decisions about these standards. This work has been made possible by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

NASBE’s science standards initiative will specifically focus on: 1) capacity-building assistance in order for state boards to learn more about the standards and their implications for state and local school systems, such as how the NGSS fit within a college- and career-ready framework; 2) conducting state policy audits of related issues such as graduation requirements, assessments, and teacher preparation to support the alignment of their state systems; 3) individualized assistance for developing state action plans for various issues, such as alignment of policies; and 4) making resources and materials easily accessible to address state boards’ communications concerns related to the NGSS.