N.H. Admin. Code § Ed 306.451 - Science Education Program, July 1, 2015

(a) Pursuant to Ed.306.26 and Ed. 306.27, the local school board shall require no later than July 1, 2015, conditioned on legislative approval, that a science education program be provided for each k-12 student.

(b) Science programs in each school shall prepare both technologically and environmentally literate students, by including planned learning strategies and opportunities that:

(1) Provide students with teaching and instructional practices that:

a. Reflect on the interconnectedness of the nature and practice of science in the real world;

b. Perform science through the development of practices that are integrated with core ideas and crosscutting concepts;

c. Build science concepts coherently from k through 12;

d. Focus on deeper understanding of science content as well as application of that content;

e. Experience the integration of technologies in science;

f. Prepare students for college or career, and citizenship; and

g. Connect science to mathematics, language arts, and other content areas;

(2) Provide students with knowledge and experience of the following science practices, integrated with cross cutting science concepts and core disciplinary principles:

a. Asking questions and defining problems;

b. Developing and using models;

c. Planning and carrying out investigations;

d. Analyzing and interpreting data;

e. Using mathematics and computational thinking;

f. Constructing explanations and designing solutions;

g. Engaging in argument from evidence; and

h. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information;

(3) Provide students with knowledge and experience of the following cross cutting science concepts, integrated with science practices and core disciplinary principles which include the following:

a. Patterns;

b. Cause and effect with respect to mechanism and explanation;

c. Scale, proportion, and quantity;

d. Systems and system models;

e. Energy and matter with respect to flows, cycles, and conservation;

f. Structure and function; and

g. Stability and change; and

(4) Provide students with appropriate learning progressions that provide knowledge and experience in the following core disciplinary areas, integrated with science practices and cross cutting science concepts including the following:

a. Earth space science;

b. Life science;

c. Physical science; and

d. Engineering and technology in the following areas.

(c) Each district shall establish and provide a comprehensive, sequentially designed, k-12 science education curriculum designed to meet the minimum standards for college and career readiness and that provides for continued growth in all content areas consistent with RSA 193-C:3,III.

(d) For science education programs in grades k-12, schools shall provide for the ongoing, authentic assessment of student learning outcomes through multiple formative and summative assessment instruments that are aligned with the state and district content and performance standards.

(e) Examples of such assessment shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) Teacher observations of student performance;

(2) Competency-based or performance based assessments;

(3) Common assessments developed locally; and

(4) Project evaluation rubrics used to evaluate science education proficiencies applied to integrated curriculum assignments, extended learning opportunities, and out of school learning environments.

(f) For all science education programs, schools shall report the academic performance of all students on a regular basis by providing the following:

(1) A summary of individual student performance to parents at least 3 times each year; and

(2) The opportunity for parents to meet individually with their students' teachers about their student's performance at least once during each school year.

(g) For all science education programs, schools shall demonstrate how school and student assessment data are used to evaluate, develop, and improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Notes

N.H. Admin. Code § Ed 306.451

Amended by Volume XXXIV Number 16, Filed April 17, 2014, Proposed by #10556, Effective 3/27/2014, Expires3/27/2024.

The amended version of this section by New Hampshire Register Volume 35, Number 27, eff.6/29/2015 is not yet available. The amended version of this section by New Hampshire Register Volume 36, Number 06, eff.1/8/2016 is not yet available.