This week in education news, science too often is misunderstood and overshadowed by the “T” and “E” in the STEM acronym; how a Title 1 school raised its science scores significantly; learning about science is a basic human right; and Connected Science Learning’s analysis of external STEM education programs is proving just how important it is to push science learning beyond the school gates.

Science Steps Up

Carl Sagan, the late astronomer and astrophysicist who wanted to get everyone just as excited about science as he was, once summed up how those in the field feel about the rest of us: “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” Read the article featured in Education World.

Minnesota Proposes Teaching Climate Change as Human-Caused

Minnesota’s draft science education standards include language that would require state students be taught that climate change is a human-caused phenomenon — the first time in Minnesota such guidelines would finger human activity as the driver behind global warming. Read the article featured on MPR News.

How a Title I school raised its science passing rate 24 points

Two Florida elementary teachers transformed their classrooms into active learning spaces for science. In two years, they doubled their students passing rate on science assessments. Here’s what they did. Read the article featured in Education Dive.

Learning about Science is a Human Right

Imagine a society where every child has access to high-quality education. Imagine sustainable cities with clean water and renewable energy. Imagine a global economy with opportunity for all, regardless of background or gender. Countries around the world are striving to achieve this vision in the next decade, through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. And science, technology, and innovation are keys to realizing this vision. Read the article featured in Scientific American.

Science Beyond the School Gates

Connected Science Learning is one of the National Science Teachers Association’s five journals, and its analysis of external STEM education programs is proving just how important it is to push science learning beyond the school gates. Dennis Schatz, NSTA President-Elect and Field Editor of Connected Science Learning explains. Read the article featured in Futurum magazine.

Educator: In Finland, I Realized How ‘Mean-Spirited’ the U.S. Education System Really Is

If you have paid any attention to the education debate in this country during the past dozen years or so, you’ve heard that students in Finland score at or near the top of international test scores, time and time again. You may know that, among other things, Finland has no standardized tests, starts formal reading instruction at age 7, requires all general teachers to have a master’s degree and makes sure no student goes hungry. U.S. educators visit there often. This past spring, educators from Shenandoah University in Virginia went to Finland, and this is a report on what they saw. Read the article featured in the Washington Post.

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.

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