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1. Certification Requirements
A. Grades 9-12
- Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: 699
- Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment: 119
- Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: 99%
- Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: Major in the subject area taught. Earth science or general science can teach Earth science majors
B. Grades 6-8
- Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: 380
- Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: 391
- Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: 63%
- Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: Major in the subject area taught. K-8 credential to teach Earth science only.
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2. Course Requirements
A. Grades 9-12
- Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 2
- Required science courses: Students can take any science courses to meet graduation requirements.
- Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Not specifically, although the schools, districts, and students know that approximately 25% of the items on the high school graduation science test are from Earth/Space Science.
- 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? Not specifically, as noted above NV does not require specific courses for graduation.
- 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? Depends on the district, in some districts it is taught as an independent subject, in others it is the focus, but only a part of, the science curriculum for the year.
- At what grade level(s) is Earth science taught? Depends on the district, either 6 or 7.
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3. K-12 Enrollment A. Percent of Grade 9-12 students enrolled in selected courses
|
Course |
Earth science |
Chemistry |
Biology |
Physics |
Percent |
33% |
75% |
95% |
18% |
B. Enrollment trends in Grade 9-12 Earth science
|
Year |
Percent |
Students |
1996-97 |
Not Available |
Not Available |
1997-98 |
13% |
2,865 |
1999-00 |
44% |
10,832 |
2003-04 |
33% |
Not Available |
C. Students in grades 7-8 enrolled in selected science courses
|
1999-2000 |
2003-2004 |
Course |
Students
(Percentage) |
Students
(Percentage) |
Earth Science |
6,885
(14%) |
Not Available
(66%) |
General Science |
4,426
(9%) |
Not Available
(15%) |
Physical Science |
17,213
(35%) |
Not Available
(42%) |
Life Science |
4,918
(10%) |
Not Available
(11%) |
Integrated or Coordinated Science |
1,967
(4%) |
Not Available
(0.3%) |
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4. K-12 Indicators
|
State |
National |
| Average Freshman Graduation Rate |
55.8% |
73.2% |
| College Enrollment Rate |
52.2% |
68.6% |
| AP Participation Rate |
24.6% |
25% |
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5. Science Standards
- Standards Publication: Nevada Academic Standards
- Year in which science standards were adopted: 2005
- Are state standards determined at the district level? Determined by state adopted by state board of education.
- When will the state standards be revised? 2011
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6. Testing and Assessment
A. State Science Tests
|
Test |
Grade Levels Tested: |
Earth Science Component on the Test? |
Criterion-Referenced Testing |
5 and 8 |
Yes (For 5th grade: 11 points out of 50; for 8th grade: 11-13 points out of 51) |
High School proficicency exam |
10-12 |
Yes (13 points out of 60) |
B. State High School Exit Exam
- Name of Exam: Nevada High School Proficiency Examination
- Type of Test: Standards based, multiple choice
- Does the exam have a science component? Yes.
- At what grade do students first take the exam? 10
- Is passing the exam a requirement for a diploma? Yes.
- Does the exam have an Earth science component? Yes. Earth/Space/Environmental science is 22% of the science portion of the test.
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7. Textbook Adoptions
- Does the state select or recommend textbooks? No. The state has a list of approved text books that are recommended to the state by districts that wish to adopt the instructional materials.
- Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Varies by district
- Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Varies by district
- Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Varies by district
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8. State Contact Person
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