1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science (2004): 665
Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment (2004): 209
Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification (2004): 69%
Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers (2006-2007): Requires a min. number of units in the subject area taught; specifies components in program.

B. Grades 6-8

Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science (2004): 96
Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments (2004): 98
Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science (2004): 91%
Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers (2006-2007): Requires a min. number of units in the subject area taught; specifies components in program.

2. Course Requirements: 2006-2007 School Year

A. Grades 9-12

Number of science credits required for high school graduation: Districts decide. Local District Decision
Required science courses: State does not have a requirement in this category.
Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Yes, Earth science is offered in every district. Districts have to offer courses that meet state standards which include Earth science concepts.
Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? Determined at the district level.
If Earth science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements? Determined at the district level.
Is an Environmental science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? District decision Determined at the district level
Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? Yes. Most biology courses have embedded environmental science concepts.
If Environmental science is taken, does it count towards graduation requirements? Determined at the district level.

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? Both.
At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? 7th-8th.

3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment: 2004-2005 School Year

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	279,647	123,307	65,395	90,945

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

Course	Earth science	Chemistry	Biology	Physics
Percent	34%	72%	95%	32%

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

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	43%	10,340
1997-98	34%	8,350
1999-00	32%	7,956
2003-04	34%	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	3,097 (7%)	Not Available (11%)
General Science	8,848 (20%)	Not Available (71%)
Physical Science	2,212 (5%)	Not Available (4%)
Life Science	1,770 (4%)	Not Available (10%)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)

4. Science Standards: 2006-2007 School Year

Standards Publication: Nebraska Academic Standards
Year in which science standards were adopted: 1998
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? No schedule for revision.

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 life science standards and science and personal and social decisions.

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

5. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests: 2006-2007 School Year

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
None	Not Applicable	No
None:	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
None:	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

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

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

6. Textbook Adoptions: 2003-2004 School Year

Does the state select or recommend textbooks? No. District control
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Not Applicable
Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Not Applicable
Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Not Applicable

State Contact Person

Jim Woodland	Science Curriculum
Nebraska Department of Education 301 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, Nebraska 68509	woodland@nde.state.ne.us 402-471-4329