State wants feedback on science standards
The Minnesota Education Department begins a series of public meetings tonight on a new set of science standards.
The new standards will not be in place until the fall of 2011, but the state is spending this school year deciding what those final standards will be.
Right now, it's just a first draft.
Education Commissioner Alice Seagren said one aim of the new standards is to focus more on technology, as well as hands-on engineering -- showing students how things work in real life, and less teaching in the abstract.
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"How you use levers and how you put things together and make them work, so I think that's going to be a big difference in our science standards," Seagren said.
Seagren said there are no changes on the subject of evolution -- decisions on what to teach will still be left to each district.
The draft proposal is now online.
Tonight's meeting in Fergus Falls will be followed over the next ten days by events in Bemidji, Rochester, Duluth, Marshall, and Roseville.
Meeting Schedule
9/15 - Fergus Falls -- Lakes Country Service cooperative, 6:00-7:30pm
9/16 - Bemidji -- Bemidji High School, 6:00-7:30pm
9/22 - Rochester -- Century High School, 6:00-7:30pm
9/23 - Duluth -- Old Historic Central High School, 6:00-7:30pm
9/24 - Marshall -- Marshall Middle School, 6:00-7:30pm
9/25 - Roseville -- MN Dept. of Education headquarters, 6:00-7:30pm
