NSTA Issues Statement on THE OPPORTUNITY EQUATION: Transforming Mathematics and Science...

NSTA Issues Statement on THE OPPORTUNITY EQUATION: Transforming Mathematics
and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global Economy

ARLINGTON, Va., June 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Science
Teachers Association (NSTA), the largest professional organization in the
world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning,
released the following statement in response to the Carnegie Corporations of
New York-Institute for Advanced Study Commission on Mathematics and Science
Education report issued today.

"The National Science Teachers Association commends the Carnegie Commission
for its groundbreaking and detailed report THE OPPORTUNITY EQUATION:
Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for Citizenship and the Global
Economy and its call for a national movement to transform science and math
education.

We strongly agree with the Commission that excellent science and mathematics
learning for all American students will be possible if we place science and
math 'more squarely at the center of the educational enterprise.' In the last
eight years, science in the elementary grades has been virtually eliminated in
many schools. Other schools have been forced to reduce funding for teacher
training and science classroom resources. To realize the reforms outlined in
this report we must commit the necessary resources to science teaching and
learning, and we must ensure that teachers are actively engaged in all reform
efforts.

For years NSTA has been at the forefront of advocating for stronger science
education for all students. Currently NSTA is leading discussions with the
National Research Council, Achieve, and the American Association for the
Advancement of Science/Project 2061 about current science standards and the
need to build toward common content standards in science, as mentioned in the
Carnegie report.

NSTA looks forward to working with the Carnegie Commission to ensure that all
stakeholders will read and take action to immediately implement many of the
recommendations put forth in this report."

THE OPPORTUNITY EQUATION: Transforming Mathematics and Science Education for
Citizenship and the Global Economy calls for higher levels of mathematics and
science learning for all students; common standards in math and science that
are fewer, clearer, and higher, coupled with aligned assessments; improved
teaching and professional learning, supported by better school and system
management; and new designs for schools and systems to deliver math and
science learning more effectively. For more information on the report, visit
http://www.carnegie.org/index.html.

About NSTA
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association (NSTA),
www.nsta.org, is the largest professional organization in the world promoting
excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's
current membership includes more than 60,000 science teachers, science
supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry
representatives, and others involved in science education.

SOURCE National Science Teachers Association

Kate Meyer of the National Science Teachers Association, +1-703-312-9211,
kmeyer@nsta.org