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North Carolina

Certification Requirements
Course Requirements
K-12 Enrollment
K-12 Indicators
Science Standards
Testing and Assessment
Textbook Adoptions
Undergraduate Education
Graduate Education
State Contact Person

1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: 2,432
Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment: 1,382
Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: 73%
Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: Competencies for each specialty area in approved program.

B. Grades 6-8

Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: 1,378
Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: 2,942
Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: 56%
Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: Competencies for each specialty area in approved program.

2. Course Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 3.
Required science courses: Biology
Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Yes. North Carolina has standards for a course called Earth/Environmental Science which is strongly Earth Systems Science based.
Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? No.
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? Yes.
Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? No.
If Environmental science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements? Yes.

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? Integrated.
At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? Local decision; however, generally 9th.

3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment: 2005-2006 School Year

Grades	K-12	K-8	9-12
Students	1,396,522	989,993	406,529

B. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses

Course	Earth science/ Environ- mental science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Number	81,298	51,341	103,508	10,116

C. Enrollment trends in Grade 9 Earth science

Because Earth/Environmental Science became a graduation requirement for students who entered 9th grade in 2000-2001 enrollment figures show an increase in student enrollment in this new course along with other related courses which may be used to meet the requirement. Our statistics do not show the grade level of the students enrolled in high school courses.

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

North Carolina Middle Grades Students receive an integrated science curriculum in each year 6-8. Some students are also able to enroll in elective science courses focusing on a particular science area or topic.

4. K-12 Indicators

	State	National
Average Freshman Graduation Rate	71.8%	73.2%
College Enrollment Rate	65.7%	68.6%
AP Participation Rate	28.4%	25%

5. Science Standards

Standards Publication: North Carolina Standard Course of Study
Year in which science standards were adopted: 2004
Are state standards determined at the district level? No, North Carolina adopts standards for the state.
When will the state standards be revised? Currently in revision process (2009)

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 within the Earth/Environmental standards.

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

6. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
North Carolina End-of-course Tests	5, 8	Yes
North Carolina End of Course Tests in Science	9-12 (Biology, Chemistry, Physical Science, and Physics)	No

B. State High School Exit Exam

Beginning with students who enter 9th grade for the first time in 2007-2007 the high school exit standards require students to perform at Achievement Level 3 (with one standard error of measurement) or above on 5 End-of-Course (EOC) assessments: Algebra I, Biology, English I, Civics and Economics, and U.S. History. Students are also required to successfully complete a graduation project.

7. Textbook Adoptions

Does the state select or recommend textbooks? Yes, the State Board of Education adopts textbooks based on recommendations of a Textbook Commission.
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Please see our complete list: Scroll down to find the Earth/Environmental Science texts.
Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Holt: Modern Earth Science; Prentice Hall: Exploring Earth Science.
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Middle School uses integrated science programs. Please see our complete list of state adopted textbooks.

8. Undergraduate Education

**Students Graduating with an Associates Degree**
Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
N/A	17	2,454	N/A	3,264

**Students Graduating with a Bachelor's Degree**
Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
656	125	5,357	6,138	988

9. Graduate Education

**Students Graduating with a Master's Degree**
Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
117	34	1,934	2,085	275

**Students Graduating with a Doctorate Degree**
Physical Sciences	Geosciences	Life Sciences	Natural and Physical Sciences	Science and Engineering Technologies
126	12	496	634	2

10. State Contact Person

Benita Tipton	Science Consultant
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction 6352 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27601-2825	btipton@dpi.state.nc.us 919-807-3933


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