NSTA, the National Science Teacher's Association, has a great report on the impact of NCLB on Science Education in the US.
The report has data and comments from educators. NCLB does not focus on science in the lower grades. As such, science takes a back seat in the lower grades. Many schools cut back on science education to make more room for reading, writing and math.
At the secondary level, science test prep causes many schools to cut back on labs and activities, instead focusing on test prep and content facts.
Science is important. It is a vital area for mankind. We need to make sure all students have a basic literacy in science to be informed consumers and citizens, and we need more students to go into science and engineering careers. Science and engineering solve the worlds problems. Standardized testing does not. We need to improve science education and make sure science is taught in every grade.
All science teachers, administrators, politicians, heck, everyone, need to read this report.
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=59215
Related:
Experiments and Exploration are vital to science education!
3 Ways to Fix U.S. Science Education
