1.Certification Requirements
A. Grades 9-12
- Total number of 9-12 teachers with main assignment in science: 488
- Total number of science teachers in grades 9-12 with an Earth science assignment: 167
- Percentage of 9-12 science teachers with an Earth science certification: 62%
- Specific licensure requirements for secondary teachers: Major/minor required; requires a specific min number of units in the subject area taught.
B. Grades 6-8
- Total number of teachers in grades 7-8 with a main assignment in science: 548
- Total number of grades 7-8 science teachers in all assignments: 651
- Percentage of middle grade science teachers certified in science: 78%
- Specific licensure requirements for middle school teachers: Major/minor required; requires a specific min number of units in the subject area taught.
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2. Course Requirements
A. Grades 9-12
- Number of science credits required for high school graduation: 2 Currently 2; however 3 beginning 2011
- Required science courses: Must be chosen from two of the four science areas: Earth systems science, biology, chemistry, or physics.
- Is an Earth science course included in the recommended high school science curriculum? Yes, recommended at grade 9.
- 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 At the AP level (AP Environmental science).
- Is Environmental science part of another course required for high school graduation? Yes, it is part of the Earth systems core curriculum.
- 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? 7th-8th.
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3. K-12 Enrollment
A. Percent of Grade 9 students enrolled in selected courses
|
Course |
Earth science |
Chemistry |
Biology |
Physics |
Percent |
95% |
59% |
95% |
28% |
B. Enrollment trends in Grade 9-12 Earth science
|
Year |
Percent |
Students |
1996-97 |
34% |
13,172 |
1997-98 |
30% |
11,176 |
1999-00 |
38% |
13,665 |
2003-04 |
95% |
Not Available |
C. Students in grades 7-8 enrolled in selected science courses
|
1999-2000 |
2003-2004 |
Course |
Students
(Percentage) |
Students
(Percentage) |
Earth Science |
2,090
(3%) |
Not Available |
General Science |
Not Available |
Not Available |
Physical Science |
1,393
(2%) |
Not Available |
Life Science |
4,180
(6%) |
Not Available |
Integrated or Coordinated Science |
60,607
(87%) |
Not Available
(63%) |
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4. K-12 Indicators
|
State |
National |
| Average Freshman Graduation Rate |
78.6% |
73.2% |
| College Enrollment Rate |
47.2% |
68.6% |
| AP Participation Rate |
27.6% |
25% |
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5. Science Standards
- Standards Publication: Utah K-12 Core Curriculum
- Year in which science standards were adopted: Secondary Science, which includes Earth Systems, Biology, Chemistry and Physics were adopted 2003; Elementary 3-6 were adopted 2002.
- Are state standards determined at the district level? No
- When will the state standards be revised? Beginning fall 2009
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6. Testing and Assessment
A. State Science Tests
|
Test |
Grade Levels Tested: |
Earth Science Component on the Test? |
Utah Core Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRTs) |
4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
Yes |
CRT: Earth Science |
9 |
Yes |
CRT: Biology |
10-12 |
No |
| CRT: Chemistry |
10-12 |
No |
| CRT: Physics |
10-12 |
No |
B. State High School Exit Exam
- Name of Exam: Utah Basic Skills Competency Test
- Type of Test: Criterion Referenced Test (CRT)
- Does the exam have a science component? No
- 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? No.
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7. Textbook Adoptions
- Does the state select or recommend textbooks? The state has a instructional materials review process. The purpose of this process is to provide for the schools of the state the best available instructional materials and to eliminate inferior or undesirable material.
- Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Varies by school, list of recommended textbooks are found on the Recommneded Instructions Materials System website
- Environmental science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the high school level: Varies by school, list of recommended textbooks are found on the Recommneded Instructions Materials System website
- Earth science textbook(s)/program(s) used in the state at the middle school level: Varies by school, list of recommended textbooks are found on the Recommneded Instructions Materials System website
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8. State Contact Person
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