New science curriculum OK’d for PSS

The Board of Education has approved a new curriculum that would elevate the Commonwealth’s science programs to national standards.
Beginning school year 2014-2015, the Public School System will enforce the “Next Generation Science Standards” to better prepare CNMI students for globally competitive science careers, including in the field of engineering.

The current science standards at PSS were approved in the ’90s and were last revised in 2005.

According to Jackie Quitugua, associate commissioner for instruction and curriculum, PSS began preparing for the shift to the new standards in 2010.

She said the Next Generation Science Standards will introduce CNMI students to different dimension of learning, including, among others, new science and engineering practices and the disciplinary core ideas that include three domains of science—life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

“We’re looking at elementary through high school be accorded the ‘Next Generation Science Standards’ so we are aligned with our vision to get our kids ready in the global society, with career and college vision in mind,” said Quitugua.

BOE vice chair Lucy Blanco Maratita expressed worry, however, about the readiness of teachers for the full implementation of the standard next school year.

“Do our teachers and staff possess the knowledge and requisite skills to teach our kids this generation standards?” she asked at a recent board meeting, noting the lack of engineers on island that the PSS can tap for the program.

According to Quitugua, PSS survey results conducted among middle and high schools teachers show their readiness and capability to embrace the new curriculum.

In fact, she said, PSS has a list of teachers who have attended intensive trainings specifically for the new standards. Expert sources and PSS partners are also reportedly ready to provide assistance to the CNMI in implementing the new science standards.

“We are aggressively working with coordinators and expert panels outside the CNMI to help us and the only piece we’re seeing support is the engineering piece. We do have teachers in the CNMI with engineering background and we have sought participation in the training design,” she explained.

According to Blanco-Maratita, PSS still has a lot of work to do on instructional strategies required under the accreditation team’s recommendation. She says it’s important that PSS teachers possess the skills and professional training they need to enforce the new science standards. Based on documents provided to the board, Blanco-Maratita said that “it is really based on perception of teachers.”

Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan made it clear that there’s a difference between curriculum and instruction.

“The instruction is in place. So the curriculum we’re bringing to the board is the science standards. Do you agree with us that we need to revamp our science standards now and bring the national standards wherein our students, when they go anywhere outside the U.S….that they will be ready to participate in these science careers? We’re asking the board to help us elevate the science curriculum to the national standards so students of the CNMI will be competitive,” explained the commissioner.