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1. Certification Requirements

A. Grades 9-12

1. Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science (2004): 3,591
2. Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment (2004): N/A
3. Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification (2004): N/A
4. Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers (2006-2007): major in the subject area they are teaching or 30 hours in the specialty. Teachers are also required to pass in their subject areas on the Praxis II test.

B. Grades 6-8

1. Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science (2004): N/A
2. Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments (2004): 164
3. Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science (2004): N/A
4. Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers (2006-2007): Middle school science teachers are certified as Elementary (K-8), Specialization: Science. High school teachers are required to have a major in the subject area they are teaching or 30 hours in the specialty. Teachers are also required to pass in their subject areas on the Praxis II test.

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2. Course Requirements: 2006-2007 School Year

A. Grades 9-12

1. Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 15 credits (need definition of credit)
2. Required science courses: Districts decide: 70% require biology
3. Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Determined at the district level. Determined at the district level
4. Is Earth science part of another course required for high school graduation? Determined at the district level.
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? District decision Determined at the district level
7. Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? Not Available.
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?  Both. 
3. At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? 6th-8th.

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3. K-12 Enrollment

A. Student Enrollment: 2004-2005 School Year

Grades	K-12	K-5	6-8	9-12
Students	1,368,136	593,786	312,842	400,085

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

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

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

Year	Percent	Students
1996-97	Not Available	Not Available
1997-98	Not Available	Not Available
1999-00	Not Available	Not Available
2003-04	Not Available	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	Not Available (Not Available)	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	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)
Integrated or Coordinated Science	Not Available (Not Available)	Not Available (Not Available)

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4. Science Standards: 2006-2007 School Year

• Standards Publication: New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
• Year in which science standards were adopted: 2002
• Are state standards determined at the district level? Districts write their own standards and use the state standards as a guideline.
• 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 natural systems and interactions, and human interactions and impacts.

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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5. Testing and Assessment

A. State Science Tests: 2006-2007 School Year

Test	Grade Levels Tested:	Earth Science Component on the Test?
New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledges.	4	No
Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment	8	Yes
None:	Not Applicable	Not Applicable

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

1. Name of Exam: High School Proficiency Assessment
2. Type of Test: Standards based
3. Does the exam have a science component? Yes as of 2007
4. At what grade do students first take the exam? 11
5. Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? Yes.
6. Does the exam have an Earth science component? N/A

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6. Textbook Adoptions: 2003-2004 School Year

• Does the state select or recommend textbooks? No. 
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Books are generally kit-based and inquiry based.
• Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Books are generally kit-based and inquiry based.
• Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level:  Books are generally kit-based and inquiry based.

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State Contact Person

Michael Heinz	Science Coordinator
New Jersey Department of Education PO Box 500 100 Riverviw Plaza Trenton, HJ 08625-0500	michael.heinz@doe.state.nj.us 609-984-7453

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