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1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: N/A
2. Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment: N/A
3. Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: N/A
4. Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: Major; specifies components in program.  Learned Society/S.P.A. and Praxis II.

B. Grades 6-8

1. Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: N/A
2. Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: N/A
3. Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: N/A
4. Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: major; specifies components in program.  Learned Society/S.P.A. and Praxis II

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2. Course Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 3.
2. Required science courses: 1 credit each:  Life science, physical science, and Earth & Space 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? Yes, combined with Space Science.
5. If Earth science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements?  Yes. A full year of Earth science is required of all Kentucky graduates.
6. Is an Environmental science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? School decision, some schools offer environmental science.
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?   N/A 

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?  Integrated
3. At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? All levels. Kentucky’s science standards are broken down into seven ‘big ideas’ that are continuous threads from the primary grades through high school. One of those big ideas is The Earth and the Universe, which contains earth and space science concepts.

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3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	632,357	298,621	147,734	186,002

B. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses

Course	Earth science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Percent	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available

C. Enrollment trends in Grade 9 Earth science

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	3%	1,680
1997-98	5%	2,877
1999-00	10%	5,668
2003-04	Not Available	Not Available

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

	1999-2000	2003-2004
Course	Students (Percentage)	Students (Percentage)
Earth Science	5,845 (6%)	Not Available (Not Available)
General Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)
Physical Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)
Life Science	5,845 (6%)	Not Available (Not Available)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	83,773 (86%)	Not Available (Not Available)

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4. K-12 Indicators

	State	National
Average Freshman Graduation Rate	77.2%	73.2%
College Enrollment Rate	61.5%	68.6%
AP Participation Rate	19.8%	25%

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5. Science Standards

• Standards Publication: Core Content for Assessment
• Year in which science standards were adopted: 2006
• Are state standards determined at the district level? Districts adopt the state standards.
• When will the state standards be revised?  Not Available.

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 in Life Science standards (Interdependence of Organisms, Matter, Energy and Organization in Living Systems) and Personal and Social Perspectives Standards (Population Growth, Natural Resources, Environmental Quality Issues, Hazards and 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?
(KCCT) Kentucky Core Content Test	4,7,11	Yes, 4, 11 both had earth/space science questions on the test
ACT	11	yes

B. State High School Exit Exam

1. Name of Exam: Not Applicable
2. Type of Test: Not Applicable
3. Does the exam have a science component? Not Applicable
4. At what grade do students first take the exam? Not Applicable
5. Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? Not Applicable.
6. Does the exam have an Earth science component? Not Applicable.

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7. Textbook Adoptions

• Does the state select or recommend textbooks? State textbook commission approves, but schools can choose to purchase unapproved texts. 
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: For a list of approved texts click here.
• Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level:  For a list of approved texts click here.
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level:  For a list of approved texts click here.

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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
4	5	1,295	N/A	1,273

Students Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
252	36	2,427	2,715	638

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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
40	16	810	866	173

Students Graduating with a Doctorate Degree

Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
29	1	148	178	4

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10. State Contact Person

Sean Elkins	Science Consultant
Kentucky Department of Education 500 Mero Street, 18th Floor Frankfort KY,  40601	sean.elkins@education.ky.gov 502-564-2106

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