Ohio receives ‘B’ in report on teaching science in K-12

State was among 12 states that received a “B” or better based on the report.

Jason King goldfish sits in front of his science fair project 'Dissolved Oxygen in Water' During the Fairfield Middle School Science Fair Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012 in Fairfield, Ohio.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Jason King goldfish sits in front of his science fair project 'Dissolved Oxygen in Water' During the Fairfield Middle School Science Fair Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012 in Fairfield, Ohio.

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 6:55 AM Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Ohio does a better job of teaching science to students in grades K-12 compared to most other states that “remain mediocre to awful,” according to a new report released Tuesday.

Teaching science well is crucial to improving the nation’s ability to compete globally, remain prosperous and scientifically-advanced, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found.

While the news is good for Ohio, which received a “B” grade, the report’s overall findings are troubling because 27 states either earned “Ds” or “Fs” for their standards in a subject many experts said will play a critical role in future high-tech jobs.

“American science performance is lagging as the economy becomes increasingly high-tech, but our current science standards are doing little to solve the problem,” reported the Washington, D.C.-based institute that is affiliated with the Fordham Foundation, a Dayton charter school sponsor and advocate for education reform nationally.

Having strong skills in science and math “will be increasingly important to the state’s future and to growing our work force and turning around the economy,” said Emmy Partin, director of Ohio policy and research for Fordham’s office in Columbus.

Fordham’s grade is a positive sign Ohio is on the right track, said Tom Lasley, a University of Dayton educator and executive director of the education advocate Learn to Earn Dayton. The initiative is focused on increasing the number of college degrees and encouraging students to pursue academic majors in one of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines.

Stan Heffner, Ohio superintendent for public instruction, said since Ohio scored seven out of 10 measurements, the “B” grade demonstrated how clear, thorough and academically demanding the state’s science standards are.

“Fordham’s assessment of Ohio’s science standards reinforces our commitment to preparing Ohio’s children to pursue careers and compete and win against anyone, anytime and anywhere in the world,” Heffner said in a statement. “Rigorous expectations, especially in the STEM subjects, are essential to restoring Ohio’s economic standing.”

The research by Fordham’s president Chester E. Finn Jr. and senior director Kathleen Porter-Magee did examine Ohio’s recently adopted science standards. But they noted Ohio officials are allowing teachers to continue to use the 2002 standards until the 2011 assessments.

Finn and Porter-Magee did not examine whether the standards are being properly assessed with state tests, effectively implemented in the school or whether they are helping improve student achievement.

Their review found that Ohio has comprehensive standards that create a strong foundation in the early grades and increase expectations with each advancing grade level.

Finn and Porter-Magee noted they hoped their review “will help guide Ohio when deciding whether to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards.”

So far, 26 states has teamed up with Achieve Inc. to create “key scientific practices, concepts and ideas that all students should learn by the time they complete high school.”

The Ohio Department of Education’s Academic Content Standards and Model Curriculum in Science were developed by committees consisting of practicing scientists, primary, secondary and postsecondary educators with a goal of improving the content and rigor to better reflect expectations of universities and employers.

David Lawrence, principal and chief academic officer of the Dayton Regional STEM School in Kettering, believes Ohio was ahead of the curve in developing STEM initiatives.

The school is part of the 10-school Ohio STEM Learning Network and works closely with key partners, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Research Lab, Miami Valley Research Park and Wright State University to give students valuable internships.

“We blur the lines between the real world and the STEM world,” Lawrence said. “That is the next frontier of STEM education — not just that you have a STEM program but that students are immersed in it from a work setting and an academic setting.”

While the science standards of most U.S. states were rated “mediocre to awful,” Ohio was among 12 states that received a “B” or better based on a report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute.