Aligned—or Not?

In February 2014, a year after the release of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), state leaders and national partners in the development of the standards met to consider strategies for implementing this ambitious new vision for science education. Among other key aspects of implementation—from professional development to assessment to advocacy—the role of curriculum and instructional materials was a major focus. States and school districts seeking to implement the new standards wanted to know which materials are aligned to the standards and support the standards' three-dimensional learning approach.

The answer from the standards' developers was short but not sweet: You won't find much now, and it's going to take time. Our work here at Project 2061, a long-term science literacy initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), suggests that we shouldn't be too surprised at this cautious response.