This week in education news, the last decade has seen widespread degree inflation; NCSE has developed a series of five climate change lessons for science teachers; new Florida bill requires schools to place a stronger emphasis on vocational and technical training and apprenticeships; Colorado lawmakers consider new education bills that are directed toward attracting and retailing teachers in the state’s more remote rural school districts; new report aims to help employers assess the impact of their STEM talent development efforts; and 39 percent of California high schools offer computer science courses.

Even More Teachers Can Now Have Their TEACH Grant Debt Forgiven

So far, about 2,300 teachers have had unfair federal loans forgiven, NPR has reported—and due to rule changes by the U.S. Department of Education, thousands more could get help. The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education, or TEACH grant, is meant to incentivize aspiring teachers to work in short-staffed areas and low-income schools. Teacher-candidates who plan to teach in a high-needs field, in a high-needs school, for at least four years are eligible for the $4,000 annual grant. Read the article featured in Education Week.

What If We Hired For Skills, Not Degrees?

The last decade has seen widespread ‘degree inflation.’ But a growing movement of employers, workers and training groups offers a rebuke to a culture that exalts a bachelor’s as the gold standard for upward mobility. Read the article featured in The Hechinger Report.

When Teaching Climate Change, Tackle The Myths Along With The Facts, Researchers Say

New research shows that an effective way to make adults more interested in climate change is to teach their children about it in school. More classes have been tackling the subject with help from the National Center for Science Education. Read the article featured in the Los Angeles Times.

Florida Passes Bill To Promote Career Training In Schools

Florida schools will help students plan for careers even if they don’t want to seek a four-year college degree under a wide-ranging education bill sent to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday. The bill will require schools to place a stronger emphasis on vocational and technical training and apprenticeships, beginning with required courses for middle school students on career and education training. Read the article by the Associated Press.

Stipends, Mentorship Programs Among Colorado Proposals To Address Rural Teacher Shortage

As Colorado lawmakers consider several new education bills this year, at least two are directed toward attracting and retailing teachers in the state’s more remote rural school districts. These measures would add to several programs created last year through legislation, which was designed to attract new teachers. Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

Report Proposes Common Definition For Successful STEM Talent Development

A new report by professional services firm STEMconnector defines a successful result for talent development in the STEM fields as the emergence of “a diverse and STEM-ready talent pool with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to secure and succeed in careers today and in the future.” Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

Project-Based Learning Boosts Student Engagement, Understanding

A group of about 40 sixth graders at Stony Brook School has been trying to figure out when and where the next earthquake will hit outside of North America. The students researched continental plates and convection currents; they practiced graphing earthquake magnitudes; they looked at case studies in China, Japan and Nepal and considered how people adapt to an earthquake-prone environment; and, ultimately, they had to make their case, in writing, for why they expect the next earthquake to hit when and where they say it will, backing up their hypothesis with a well-reasoned argument and evidence. Read the article featured in The Hechinger Report.

California Moves To Get More K-12 Students Into Computer Science Classes

More California K-12 students at all grade levels could have access to computer science classes if schools implement a plan unanimously approved by the State Board of Education. Read the article featured in EdSource.

Pre-To-3: New Certification Recognizes Strong Early-Childhood STEM Programs

Leaders at AdvancED, the certification’s developer, want relevancy for classrooms serving infants and toddlers, not just those entering schools. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

Follow NSTA