Impact of COVID-19 on Science Education

• In Event: Agency, Affect, and Identity in Science Learning

Abstract

California adopted the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in 2013 to transform science teaching and learning. By spring 2020, most California districts were in the early stages of implementing NGSS. COVID-19 derailed science education. In 62% of the districts surveyed, science became a lower priority during the 2020-21 school year. Key NGSS implementation activities such as textbook adoption were delayed. Districts provided limited support for science education, and only 40% provided additional support for English learners. Only 27% made science a high priority in their recovery plans, whereas more than 80% prioritized math/English language arts. As schools recover from the pandemic, policymakers should not lose sight of the need to invest in science literacy.

Author

• Niu Gao, Public Policy Institute of California
  Presenting Author