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1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: 335
2. Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment:  138
3. Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: 99%
4. Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: 20 hours professional prep. In 2 fields, 30 hour major and 20 hour minor or 45 hour composite.

B. Grades 6-8

1. Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: 235
2. Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: 404
3. Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: 77%
4. Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: 20 hours professional preparation. In 2 fields, 30 hour major and 20 hour minor or 45 hour composite

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2. Course Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 2
2. Required science courses: 1 lab science.
3. Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Yes.
4. Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? No.
5. If Earth science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements?  Yes.
6. Is an Environmental science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? No
7. Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? No.
8.  If Environmental science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements?   Yes. 

B. Grades 6-8

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

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3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	272,287	128,671	62,110	81,506

B. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses

Course	Earth science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Percent	38%	30%	76%	9%

C. Enrollment trends in Grade 9 Earth science

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	63%	13,244
1997-98	57%	11,646
1999-00	57%	11,422
2003-04	38%	Not Available

D. Students in grades 7-8 enrolled in selected science courses

	1999-2000	2003-2004
Course	Students (Percentage)	Students (Percentage)
Earth Science	5,612 (15%)	Not Available (27%)
General Science	5,238 (14%)	Not Available (36%)
Physical Science	8,232 (22%)	Not Available (6%)
Life Science	13,470 (36%)	Not Available (Not Available)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)

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4. K-12 Indicators

	State	National
Average Freshman Graduation Rate	80.5%	73.2%
College Enrollment Rate	45.8%	68.6%
AP Participation Rate	14.5%	25%

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5. Science Standards

• Standards Publication: Idaho Content Standards
• Year in which science standards were adopted: 2005
• Are state standards determined at the district level? Districts adopt the state standards but can add to them.
• 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.  Emphasis includes Interdependence of Organisms; Matter, Energy and Organization in Living Systems; Environmental Quality Issues; Population Change; Conservation and Management of Natural Resources; Technology in Science.

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? Yes
Earth’s history?  Yes

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6. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT)	5, 7, and 10	Yes

B. State High School Exit Exam

1. Name of Exam: Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT)
2. Type of Test: N/A
3. Does the exam have a science component? Yes
4. At what grade do students first take the exam? 5, 7, and 10
5. Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? only the 10th grade test in reading, language usage, and mathematics.
6. Does the exam have an Earth science component?N/A

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7. Textbook Adoptions

• Does the state select or recommend textbooks? The state sets minimum standards but textbooks are selected at district level. 
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: N/A
• Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: The state sets minimum standards but textbooks are selected at district level.
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: N/A

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8. Undergraduate Education

Students Graduating with an Associates Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
6	N/A	415	N/A	409

Students Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
75	34	1,219	1,328	128

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9. Graduate Education

Students Graduating with a Master's Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
18	20	169	207	49

Students Graduating with a Doctorate Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
9	3	67	79	2

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10. State Contact Person

Scott Smith	Science Coordinator
Idaho Department of Education 650 West State Street PO Box 83720 Boise, Idaho 83720-0027	ssmith@sde.idaho.gov 208-332-6952

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