Policy & Systemic Reform

To ensure every student receives quality instruction in Earth and space science, we need to elevate the visibility and commitment to Earth and space science education on a policy and systemic level. Comprehensive policy and systemic reform is needed on district, state and federal levels. Only then can stakeholders coordinate resources and strategies and institutionalize Earth and space science education into the fabric of K-12 education.

Throughout this document, specific recommendations are provided relating to each aspect of reform. All of these recommendations have policy implications. Here are some recommended policy initiatives and approaches to systemic reform that will enable us to better define, fund and implement the new approaches presented throughout this proposal.

As we make these recommendations, we acknowledge that many fit into a larger context. Earth and space science education reform is in many ways part of the more comprehensive efforts to improve science, mathematics and geography education in general. For example, our recommendations for improved teacher professional development in Earth and space science education closely mirror recommendations of the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (known as "the Glenn Commission"). Similarly, our recommendations for state-based partnerships closely mirror aspects of the new National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Education Partnerships program. The focus on states as the locus of change parallels the work of the NSF, NASA State-Systemic Initiatives and the National Geography Alliance. Hence, our recommendations should be seen as part of the larger fabric of federal, state and local policy reform for science education.

Policy and Systemic Reform Recommendations:

Coordinated efforts across all sectors of the education system within a region (federal, state, local and non-profit sectors) need to occur simultaneously and they need to be sustained for change to occur.

Federal Level.

1. Federal funds should support Earth and space science education initiatives in such areas as materials development, teacher training, new technologies, assessment and accountability.
   Specific details are provided in the respective sections of this proposal. Funding for these initiatives are part of the larger support for science education reform, and should be implemented through peer review programs administered by federal, state and local organizations, such as the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Department of Education, and other relevant groups.
2. Federal funds should support partnerships for Earth and space science education reform.
   Such partnerships should include scientists, educators, businesses, technology specialists and others involved in Earth and space science education. They should build on their respective areas of expertise and provide a synergy to shape and implement reforms. New Math and Science Partnership programs are ideal vehicles to support these reform efforts.
3. Federal agencies involved with Earth and space science research should support and require linkages with formal education and public outreach initiatives.
   NASA, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal agencies that conduct research in Earth and space science education should continue and expand their initiatives for formal and informal science education and for public outreach. For example, many of NASA's Earth and space science initiatives already require that the learning of science by all Americans be built into the programs. NOAA posts current weather data and satellite images on public Web sites for free public and education access. Such efforts should be continued and expanded, including developing related educational materials to help teachers and students take better advantage of these resources.
4. A key person knowledgeable about both education and science should be identified in each of several federal agencies to serve as the agency's primary point of contact and chief advisor for Earth and space science education.
   NASA already has established a lead person for education for the Earth and space science Enterprise and the USGS is creating a similar position to manage its education efforts. Similarly, other agencies, such as NSF, Department of Education and the Office of Science and Technology Policy should identify a key contact, such as a director or advisor for Earth and space science education. These individuals should actively work with each other and with the Earth and space science education community to leverage available resources.
5. Federal funds should support a program to evaluate the effectiveness of Earth and space science education as an annual "snapshot" of progress.
   Such an annual snapshot would integrate a set of formal and informal measures to assess the status and progress of reform. These would include: relevant Earth and space science data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and other standardized tests; data on numbers and training of teachers and students in Earth and space science courses at different grade levels; progress in the use of authentic data, analysis tools, the Internet and visualization technologies in these courses; data on public attitudes toward Earth and space science; a measure of informal Earth and space science education reaching the general public; and examples of cutting-edge innovations. Such a report will help us monitor progress and identify methods and approaches that have high returns on investment.

State Level

6. All states should offer Earth and space science curricula and should review their Earth and space science education frameworks to ensure that they reflect the revisions in content and methods proposed in the National Science Education Standards and in this report.
   > Although the National Science Education Standards (NSES) define standards for curriculum and pedagogy, they are guidelines rather than mandates. States, in fact, are the primary locus of control for curriculum and pedagogy, embodied in what are usually called frameworks for science education. Each state should review its frameworks for Earth and space science education to ensure that the content and pedagogy are in line with the NSES. Close attention should be paid to Earth as a system as the central paradigm, science as inquiry as a dominant approach to teaching and learning, and integration of computer-based analysis tools, Internet and visualization technology into the curriculum. Such frameworks should also include explicit linkages between key concepts in Earth system science, advances in basic scientific knowledge and each state's local environment (such as its geologic history, land use patterns, air and water quality or natural hazards).
7. States should review their methods and tools of assessment to ensure that they mirror the revisions in the curriculum frameworks.
   Just as states should review their curriculum frameworks, so too should they review their assessment methods and tools. Curriculum reform and assessment reform must go hand-in-hand. Specifically, there should be increased attention to assessing high-priority skills such as inquiry, investigation, critical thinking and analysis, and unifying concepts such as Earth as a system and effective use of visualizations to support learning and research. These are typically under-emphasized in current assessment tools.
8. States should create incentive programs to produce, recruit and retain Earth and space science teachers, as well as implement sustained professional development for them.
   Such incentive programs are essential, given the shortfall of trained teachers in Earth and space science. Examples of incentive programs include cash bonuses, grants of computers, reduced Internet access rates and mentorship support for new teachers. Each state should support teacher certification in Earth and space science, and should encourage and assist scientists to become teachers. Professional development should be ongoing, as detailed in the Professional Development section of this report.
9. Establish state-based alliances for Earth and space science education in every state.
   In support of the state-based initiatives, each state should establish an alliance for Earth and space science education reform, including policy makers, educators, scientists, businesses and other key stakeholders. The alliances will coordinate efforts and help to ensure that the diverse components (e.g. curriculum reform, assessment, professional development) are in alignment. These alliances promote and ensure state ownership and sustainability of reform efforts. Further details are provided in the Partnerships section of this report.

District Level

10. Implement Earth and space science education reforms through local policy and practice in alignment with state and national standards.
    Ultimately, successful implementations of the reforms advocated here take place at the local level, in individual classrooms with individual teachers based on local policies and practice. Hence, the reforms need to be understood, accepted and approved at the district level and by parents. Districts should ensure that their Earth and space science curricula and materials support the reforms in content and pedagogy detailed throughout this report. They should support expanded use of new technologies, providing students and teachers with ready access to the Internet and to related tools for analysis and visualization. Districts should be clear about their support of inquiry-based learning. They should ensure that assessments go beyond simple facts and vocabulary knowledge to also include deeper concepts of Earth as a system, interactive exploration using tools of technology, and inquiry-based learning.

Additionally, to ensure effective instruction, districts should implement the 24:1 class-size cap, as advocated in the NSTA position paper on class size. They should identify local resources to support reform of Earth and space science education, and should make connections between concepts taught in Earth and space science classes and the local environment. And districts should ensure the integrity and continuity of the Earth and space science education program from elementary through middle- and high-school levels.