The Curriculum Development and Supplemental Materials Commission (usually referred to as the Curriculum Commission) has posted the latest draft of the Criteria for Evaluating K-8 Science Instructional Materials. The Curriculum Commission will discuss and probably act on this draft at its next meeting, which is January 14-16, 2004 in Sacramento. The Criteria passed by the Curriculum Commission then goes to the State Board of Education for final action.

The K-8 Science Adoption Criteria are very important because they inform publishers about what kinds of instructional materials to produce, and because these criteria are then used by the state to adopt or reject instructional materials. The Criteria do not apply to high school instructional materials. However, they impact high school teaching because they strongly influence students' science education prior to high school.

The current draft has many provisions that are probably not controversial. For example, current adopted texts include significant amounts of extraneous content that do not help teach the standards or expand their applications. One new proposed criterion is that extraneous topics or lessons should compose no more than 10 percent of the instructional time.

The current draft also includes provisions that are controversial. For example, one new criterion requires "A table of evidence in the teacher edition, demonstrating that the California Science Standards can be comprehensively taught from the submitted materials with hands-on activities composing no more than 20 to 25 percent of science instructional time (as specified in the California Science Framework). Additional hands-on activities may be included, but must not be essential for complete coverage of the California Science Standards for the intended grade level(s), must be clearly marked as optional, and must meet all other evaluation criteria."

The draft criteria being considered by the Curriculum Commission may be accessed at:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/documents/scicriteria04.pdf

More information about the Curriculum Commission mat be accessed at:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/cc/cd/

NOTE: the California Department of Education recently completely revised their website, and many links are no longer to be found. I'm trying to get them all updated, but can't find any trace of some formerly useful pages - thanks for your patience. - AEOE Webmaster

Here is some info. you might be able to use:
If you would like to write a letter about this, write your letter to:
Phil LaFontaine, Administrator; Mathematics & Leadership Office.
You can also e-mail: California Frameworks & Instructional Division: Tom Adams, Director: 916-319-0881,
Sue Stickel
Jack O'Connell - Supt. of Schools
The reference in the Framework is pg. 11 in Chapter 1: Introduction to the Framework.