1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science (2004): 6,163
Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment (2004): 1,055
Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification (2004): 59%
Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers (2006-2007): Subject matter examination/approved program. Major in single subject taught.

B. Grades 6-8

Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science (2004): 5, 877
Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments (2004): 7,577
Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science (2004): 59%
Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers (2006-2007): Subject matter examination/approved program. Major in single subject taught.

2. Course Requirements: 2006-2007 School Year

A. Grades 9-12

Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 2.
Required science courses: 2 credits including Biology and Physical Science. 1 course in biological sciences, 1 course in physical sciences (which includes physics, chemistry and earth science) or 2 years of integrated science that include a biological and physical sciences components
Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Yes.
Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? Yes. Yes, it can be part of an integrated science course.
If Earth science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements? Yes.
Is an Environmental science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? No
Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? Yes. Ecology focus within biology.
If Environmental science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements? Not Available.

B. Grades 6-8

Is Earth Science part of the middle school science curriculum (grades 6-8)? Yes.
Is it taught as a full year curriculum or an integrated curriculum? Full Year.
At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? 6th.

3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment: 2004-2005 School Year

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	6,322,147	2,869,785	1,482,949	1,915,361

B. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses: 2003-2004 School Year

Course	Earth science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Percent	13%	39%	72%	18%

C. Enrollment trends in Grade 9 Earth science: 1996-2004

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	9%	40,574
1997-98	9%	41,279
1999-00	8%	38,588
2003-04	13%	Not Available

D. Students in grades 7-8 enrolled in selected science courses: 1999-2000 vs. 2003-2004 School Years

	1999-2000	2003-2004
Course	Students *(Percentage)*	Students *(Percentage)*
Earth Science	8,708 (1%)	Not Available (1%)
General Science	505,067 (58%)	Not Available (51%)
Physical Science	69,664 (8%)	Not Available (7%)
Life Science	78,372 (9%)	Not Available (8%)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Applicable (Not Applicable)

4. Science Standards: 2006-2007 School Year

Standards Publication: Content Standards for California Public Schools
Year in which science standards were adopted: 1998
Are state standards determined at the district level? Districts adopt the state standards.
When will the state standards be revised? N/A

The National Science Education Standards outline the concepts and principles that students should understand about Earth and space science. At the middle school level, the standards are divided into three areas: Structure of the Earth System, Earth’s History, and Earth in the Solar System. At the high school level, the standards are divided into four areas: Energy in the Earth System, Geochemical Cycles, Origin and Evolution of the Earth System, and Origin and Evolution of the Universe. For the AGI Report, the Earth science standards for each state were reviewed to determine whether they incorporate the concepts and principles outlined in the National Science Education Standards.

A. Do the state standards for grades 9-12 contain principles and concepts related to:

Energy in the Earth system? Yes	Origin and evolution of the Earth system? Yes
Geochemical cycles? Yes	Origin and evolution of the universe? Yes

B. Do the state standards for grades 9-12 include environmental science concepts?
Yes. Ecology emphasis within standards for Biology.

C. Do the state standards for grades 5-8 contain principles and concepts related to:

Structure of the Earth system? Yes	Earth in the Solar System? No
Earth’s history? Yes

5. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests: 2006-07 School Year

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
Standardized Testing and Reporting Program	10	Not Available
Golden State Exams	9, 10, 11, and 12	Tests are discipline-specific.
High School Exit Exam	10	No

B. State High School Exit Exam: 2006-2007 School Year

Name of Exam: California High School Exit Exam
Type of Test: Standards based
Does the exam have a science component? No.
At what grade do students first take the exam? 10
Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? Yes.
Does the exam have an Earth science component? No.

6. Textbook Adoptions: 2003-2004 School Year

Does the state select or recommend textbooks? Recommends. K-8 adoptions are recommended
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level:
Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level:
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Glencoe: Science Voyager; McGraw-Hill: Sciences; Prentice Hall: Science Explorer; Holt: Earth, Life, and Physical Science.

State Contact Person

Diane Hernandez	Science Consultant
California Department of Education (CDE) 1430 N Street Suite 5408 Sacramento, CA 95814	dhernand@cde.ca.gov 916-319-0349