Chris Castillo Comer

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TSELA Spring Conference 2006Austin, Texas
Texas Education Agency Science Education Update

• Chris Castillo Comer
• Director of Science

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Science TAKS TESTING

• Science TAKS was not be the last test
  administered
• Grade 8 students again took innovative online
  testing
• All Tests will be released this year
• Item analysis will be available Data will
  include all tests except TAKS-I which will be
  phased-in next year in the TAKS scores
• NCLB study will be done to judge TAKS alignment
• Three new tests will be developed for Science at
  the High School Level Biology, Chemistry and
  Physics!

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STATE of TEXAS Grade 5 Science TAKS
4

• Study Guides are provided to students who do
  not meet the standard.

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SBOE News

• Fourth credit of science was discussed at last
  board meeting in the form of Engineering which
  will now move to 2nd reading at this weeks SBOE
  meeting
• Textbook adoptions
• Bilingual Education
• Language Arts TEKS

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Texas Schools Respond to Hurricanes and Evacuees

• At its peak, Texas Schools enrolled 46,504
  Hurricane Katrina evacuees, while about 400,000
  Texas students were displaced and their schools
  shuttered temporarily
• When Hurricane Rita rolled ashore, knocking
  essential services to a wide swath of Southeast
  and East Texas.
• TEA continues to monitor various efforts in
  Congress to provide funding to cover costs
  incurred by districts because of Katrina and Rita.

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Latest demographics Show increases
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Science Education In the News
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The cost of NOT having an education

• 25 of the states residents aged 25 and older
  lack a high school education
• Each year another 45,000-50,000 students drop out
  of Texas public schools costing the state 11.4
  billion in lost gross state product (GSP)
• AND
• Dropouts cost the state and federal governments
  1.4 billion annually in social costs
• Are six times more likely to be incarcerated and
• 2.7-3.7 times more likely to receive public
  assistance

http//window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/teachersalary
04
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President Bush and Science Education
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President Bushs Address
910 Million for NSF, Dept. of Energy Commerce
Department

• Specialty schools for math and science
• Experiential-based Learning Opportunities
• National Labs for PD
• Scholarships, Fellowships, Summer Institutes
• In science and math for students and teachers
• NASA
• Development of Science Parks similar
• to Asian Parks
• Download report at http//www.nap.edu

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State Curriculum Trends

• Emphasis on science at very early ages
• At-risk students identified earlier and more
  programs to support students in credit recovery
• More High Schools with dropout recovery programs
  specializing in technical school/employment
  training
• Emphasis on higher expectations and more science
  to prepare students for technical training
• Greater high school to college coordination

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GOVERNOR PERRY ANNOUNCES T-STEM ACADEMIES!
71 Million committed to Texas Science,
Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics
(T-STEM) Academies

• Part of Texas High School Project
• Will establish 35 small schools
• that will offer focused opportunities
• in STEM related curriculum
• Funded in part with Gates and Dell contributions
• Dana Center named first of six
• centers for Educator Professional
• Development in STEM

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National Trends in High School Science

• In 2004, five states of 30 reporting, had more
  than 30 of students take Physics by graduation
  including Texas
• Chemistry Enrollments increased 10 states that
  more than 60 of their students take Chemistry by
  graduation, including Texas
• Significant increases in high schools science
  courses in 04 60 compared to 55 in 96 and
  45 in 90
• Certified Science Teachers continue to be in high
  demand.

http//www.ccsso.org/project/science_and_mathemati
cs_ Education_Indicators
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State Policies in Relation to Math and Science
Enrollments

• As of 2004
• 21 states require 3 high school course credits of
  mathematics and 6 require four credits
• 20 states require 3 credits of science and 3
  require four credits
• In the 1990s and continuing since 2000, over 40
  states raised the number of credits required for
  graduation in science and mathematics, and
  recently additional requirements have een added.
  In total 42 states now require at least two years
  of math and science and a majority three or
  more), while in the mid-1980s only nine states
  had even this requirement.
• As of 1992, only 13 states required 3 or more
  credits of math and six states required 3 or more
  credits in science.

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Middle School Science Courses

• The Science courses and curriculum taught in
  grades 7-8 vary widely across the states.
• States have taken different approaches to
  structuring the middle grades science curriculum.
  The national averages show that 47 of grades 7
  and 8 students took a General Science course,
  which represents an increase since 1996.
• Life Science was the course taken by 14 of
  students, which indicates a decline over eight
  years.
• Earth Science courses in the middle grades
  included an average of 13 of students, and
  Physical Science included 10.
• Integrated or Coordinated Science has the highest
  percentage of grade 7-8 science enrollments in
  six states.

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Higher-Level Mathematics and Science for Minority
Students

• For 2003-04, 15 states reported course
  enrollments by student race/ethnic group.
  African American and Hispanic student enrollments
  continue to lag behind enrollments for whites and
  Asians in most states.
• The states of North Carolina, Texas, and Utah
  show the greatest gains for African American
  students in higher level math and science
  enrollments. Gains for Hispanic students were
  highest in Texas and Utah.

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Number of Texas Science TeachersGrades 9-12
2004
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Texas Teacher Profiles

• First year teachers 7 of Texas teachers
• 22,649 teachers
• Teachers 1-5 years experience 28.7 equals
• 84, 482 teachers
• Total novice teachers 36.4 MORE THAN A THIRD
  of ALL TEXAS TEACHERS
• Another 20 may be ready to leave teaching (20
  years)

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Texas Ranks Ninth in Class Size Quality Counts
2006 ranked Texas in a number of categories. Here
are a few

• Where Texas Ranks
• Texas National Average Rank Education spending
  per student adjusted for regional cost
  differences (2002)
• 7,183 7,73438
• Average class size for self-contained classes in
  elementary schools (2000)
• 18.5 21.29
• Education Counts.For more, see
  http//www.edweek.org/ew/states/tx/

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Texas Ranks 33rd in the Country in Average
Teacher Salary 40th in Education Spending per
Student

• Average teacher salaries rose 1.3 in Texas from
  20032004 to 20042005, which moved Texas down
  from 32nd to 33rd nationwide.
• Spending per student fell 1.0 in Texas from
  20032004 to 20042005. That resulted in Texas
  falling from 36th to 40th nationwide, out of the
  50 states and the District of Columbia.
• Spending rose 4.4, or 3.7 per student, on
  average nationwide. For more
  rankings and data, see http//www.nea.org/edstats
  /images/05rankings-update.pdf

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Secondary Student Performance vs. Teacher Profiles
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
TEACHER PROFILES
Source Completion and TAKS data from TEA AEIS
02-03 Teacher Data From State Board for
Educator Certification (SBEC) , AEIS 02-03 and
03-04
http//www.widow.state.tx.us/specialrpt/teachersal
ary04/
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Texas Teacher Turnover and Student Performance
Source State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC) and TEA, AEIS 02-03
http//www.widow.state.tx.us/specialrpt/teachersal
ary04/
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Teacher Experience vs. TAKS Performance
Source State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC) and TEA, AEIS 02-03
http//www.widow.state.tx.us/specialrpt/teachersal
ary04/
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Texas Teachers Teaching Outside Their Field and
Student Performance
Source State Board for Educator Certification
(SBEC) and TEA, AEIS 02-03
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TIMSS Trends in Mathematics and Science Study
TIMSS 2007 will begin within the next few weeks.
Schools chosen will receive TIMSS Kits for 4th
and 8th grade math and science.
Source NCES 2003-081R, Highlights From TIMSS
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What is TIMSS?

• Measures the mathematics and science learning of
  fourth and eighth graders
• Monitors this learning in fourth and eighth
  graders
• Compares the mathematics and science knowledge of
  students across some 60 nations
• Operates on a 4-year cycle1995, 1999, 2003, 2007
• Emphasizes the measurement of mathematics and
  science learning in each cycle and
• Is exploring the measurement of problem solving
  as a skill in its own right.

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School Districts Involved Students in 63
countries, will participate

• In Texas, 35 Independent School Districts have
  been asked for sample schools to be involved in
  the 2007 TIMSS study Aldine, Arlington, Austin,
  Bryan, Buna, Clint, Conroe, Corpus Christi,
  Cypress-Fairbanks, Dallas, Eagle Mt. Saginaw,
  Eagle pass, Edinburgh, Forney, Ft. Worth,
  Garland, Gonzalez, Grand Prairie, Harlandale,
  Highland Park, Houston, Iola, Irving, Keller,
  Klein, Lufkin, Marion, Mission Cons, North East,
  Poolville, Somerville, Splendora, Sulphur
  Springs, White Settlement

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Participating Schools will receive

• Teacher Resource Kits with a collection of
  background material and books relating to 4th and
  8th grade math and science
• Participating schools will also receive a
  printer-scanner-copier-fax free of charge
• Please feel free to contact TIMSS with any
  questions via e-mail at TIMSS2007_at_Westat.com or
  by calling the TIMSS hotline at 1-888-677-1490

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Examples of actual 8th grade math and science
items 07

• When Tracy left for school, the temperature was
  minus 3 degrees. At recess, the temperature was
  five degrees. How many degrees did the
  temperature rise?
• A. 2 degrees
• B. 3 degrees
• C. 5 degrees
• D. 8 degrees

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Examples of actual 8th grade math and science
items 07

• Animals hibernate to survive cold weather and
  poor food supplies. Which of the following occurs
  in animals when they hibernate?
• Their body temperatures increase.
• Their body fat remains constant.
• Their blood stops circulating.
• Their rate of metabolism decreases.

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99 NAEP ResultsHigh School Achievement Math
and Science
Source NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress.
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2005 NAEP Data

• Math and Reading Results show significant gains
  for Texas Students
• Results in science will be released soon
• Stay tuned to science listserv to see entire
  report

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Resources
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Texas Science Diagnostic System
State implementation Fall 06

• TSDS is a web-based tool designed to increase
  student proficiency in science developed by
  Vantage Learning
• The Texas Science Diagnostic System (TSDS) will
  be available through the same interface as TMDS
• TSDA will be a tool that teachers can use to
  identify and remediate gaps in student
  performance in science.

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TSDS Timeline of Events
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Abrams Pre-K Science Complete Set ofMaterials
The books can be purchased online or via phone
orders. Our website is www.abramsandcompany.com T
he pages containing Early Science are
at http//www.abramsandcompany.com/productslist.a
spx?CategoryID0-126
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Delta Education Pre-K Science

• Contact Info
• Miguel GilRegional Sales ManagerDelta
  Education1-800-338-5270, ext. 168 toll-free
  voice mail [phone]    Office(210)509-9709 
     Fax[phone]    Cellmgil_at_delta-edu.comde
  lta4k8_at_gmail.comwww.delta-education.comwww.fossw
  eb.comwww.fossworks.com

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LakeShore Pre-K Science

• Texas package is in English and Spanish
• Pre-K materials include games, books, and
  materials
• Professional Development is also available
• Contact
• LakeShore Products, Inc.
• Richard Gomez Regional Manager
• 1-800-421-5354
• rgomez_at_lakeshorelearning.com

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Curricular Update

• Schedule for the TEKS Refinement and TAKS Surveys
  aligned to textbook adoption schedule
• April will start discussions for K-8 language
  arts and
• July discussions will begin for high school
  language arts creating a staggered adoption of
  the ELA/Reading TEKS.

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Assessment Updates

• Webb Alignment study conducted recently in each
  grade and subject area
• TEA will receive preliminary results this week.
• TEA will receive a final report in 6 weeks.
• This type of alignment will be done regularly and
  Data derived will be used to build tests.

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Degree of Alignment
Standards
Standards
Assessment
Assess-ment
Assessment Items
Standards
Assessment
Standards
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TEKS Revision

• What is said below

Science TEKS Proposed Schedule
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Executive Order RP53Signed by the Governor of
Texas on December 16, 2005-End of Course Tests

• The development of a series of voluntary
  end-of-course assessments in Science,
  Mathematics, and other subjects, currently
  assessed by the 11th grade Texas Assessment of
  Knowledge and Skills, to measure student
  performance
• For science this will include Biology, Chemistry
• and Physics

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Assessment Updates

• The 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 testing calendars are
  on the TEA website for review and comment
• Changes to note
• End-of-Course tests were added
• Field tests for grade 9 reading, and grades 4 and
  7 writing were moved to the week of the primary
  administrations in April.

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Assessment Updates

• Performance Level Descriptors
• (PLDs)
• Performance level descriptors for every TAKS
  subject should be on the TEA website by the end
  of April.
• The 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 testing calendars are
  on the TEA website for review and comment.

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2005 - 2006 ScienceTesting Calendar

• Grade 5 Science April 20, 2006
• Grade 8 Science April 20, 2006
• Grade 10 Science April 20, 2006
• Grade 11 Science
• October 20, 2005 (retest)
• December 6-9, 2005 (online retest)
• February 23, 2006 (retest)
• April 20, 2006 (primary)
• July 13, 2006 (retest)

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TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt)

• Reviews for each grade and subject area of
  TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt), an assessment
  currently being developed for students with the
  most significant disabilities, are halfway done.
  
• The first external item review began this week
• Teachers have given very positive feedback about
  the assessment design.

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TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M)

• The special education assessment team has begun
  to plan for the future TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M).
• The federal government has proposed regulations
  for 2 of the special education population that
  could be eligible to take an assessment that
  reduces the complexity of the grade-level
  content.
• It has not been determined when the final
  regulations will be out, but TEA is moving
  forward.
• Currently, assessment staff have modified or plan
  to modify the TAKS (minus the field test
  questions) grade 5 science, grade 5 reading, and
  grade 10 mathematics tests by reducing the number
  of answer choices, reducing complex language and
  vocabulary, etc. Information about this process
  and research regarding standard and non-standard
  accommodations that may be allowable for this
  assessment, will be presented to the assessment
  directors for discussion in the near future.

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Elementary Pass Chart

• Includes grades 1-5
• Gives highlights from TAKS
• Has TAKS OBJECTIVES and TEKS Student Expectations
  that are assessed from grades 3-5
• To Order visit our online store at
• http//www.region4store.com/esc/Shop
• ID 460-0293

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Elementary Spanish Science

• Includes grades 1-5 in Spanish!
• Gives highlights from TAKS and
• The Texas English Language Proficiency Standards
  (ELPS)

• Has TAKS Science Spanish Objectives and
• TEKS Student Expectations
• that are assessed from grades 3-5

• To download copies
• http//www.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/
• Go to documents and
• Science Chart 1 2

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ESL TEKS

• No Child Left Behind requires the ESL TEKS to be
  aligned with content standards in each subject
  area and linked to assessment.
• External elementary, middle school, and high
  school groups will be reviewing a model alignment
  of grade 4.

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Trainers available throughout the state! For
More Information Contact The Kolak
Group cindy_at_kolakgroup.com
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Middle School Science

• Includes grades K through High School Physics
• Gives highlights from TAKS
• Has TAKS OBJECTIVES and
• Grades 6-8 TEKS assessed on the Middle School
  Science TAKS given at grade 8
• To order copies contact
• Charles A. Dana Center
• P.O. Box M
• Austin, TX 78713-8913
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Products_at_uts.cc.utexas.edu

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Secondary Science

• Vertical Alignment Chart for Secondary Science
  Grade 10 and Exit Level Grade 11
• Has TAKS OBJECTIVES and TEKS Student Expectations
  that are assessed from grades 1-High School
  Physics
• Gives highlights from TAKS

To Order http//www.region4store.com/esc/Shop
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Texas Earth ScienceRevolution Workshops

• In collaboration with TRC and UTIG three two-day
• Free workshops that will target 8th grade TEKS
  tested on the Middle School TAKS will be offered
• Prime Audience SESnet middle school specialists
  and TRC Instructional Teams to be held in Austin.
• Tentative Dates
• Sept. 78 (Thurs and Friday) Sept. 2122 (Thurs
  and Friday) and October 1718 (Tues and Wed),
  2006
• National Guest Speakers and Field Experiences
  will be included
• Invited Participants will receive CD roms and all
  materials for immediate teacher training on Plate
  Tectonics, catastrophic events, and climate.

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State Presidential Awardee 2005-2006
Nancy Owens Schunke IPC and Pre Engineering
Teacher Dunbar Jr. High Math Science
Academy Lubbock, Texas
05-06 1-6 grade packets due May 1st,
2006 06-07 Gr. 7-12 Teachers Apply
www.nsf.gov/PA
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National Youth ScienceCamp

• Two outstanding science Seniors from each state
  chosen by Governor Perry for all expense paid,
  month long trip to Washington DC, and Monongahela
  National Forest

• To nominate go to www.nysc.org
• or contact Chris Comer at ccomer_at_tea.state.tx.us

Last Years Winners Andrew Matteson of Amarillo,
TX and Julian Hong of Ronald Reagan HS in San
Antonio, TX
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National Youth Science Camp

• 2005 Winners Announced
• Jessica Wang
• Emily Hsu
• To nominate an outstanding 2006 Senior go to
  www.nysc.org for more information

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Science List ServePlease Join
Our way of shouting out to you when you are
busy And something Important comes Up for
science In Texas
www.tea.state.tx.us/list/
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Who to Contact
Texas Education Agency Chris Castillo-Comer Direc
tor of Science 512-463-9581
chris.comer_at_tea.state.tx.us