Second Year Science Graduation Requirement – Update June 18, 2012
The state budget vote that occurred on June 15 did not include this issue. The topic of the second year science graduation requirement is still being discussed and we are not out of the woods yet on this issue.
Because the issue remains fluid, and until such time as the governor signs the budget and the anticipated education trailer bill (expected early this week) CSTA urges you to continue to bring awareness around this issue by sharing this information broadly and signing the petition to Save Science. Click here to find the contact information for your representatives at the state level. Clcik here for talking points. Please urge your reresentative to oppose the proposal to dilute the high school science graduation requirement.
In his May revision of the 212-2013 budget, the governor made several changes to his education block grant proposal (designed to reform the education mandate system, of which the graduation requirement is a part). One thing he did not change was his proposal to eliminate the “Graduation Requirement” mandate, which requires high school students to complete two years of science to fulfill their graduation requirements.
Links to Information and News Covering the Issue
California Classroom Science:
- Second Year Science Graduation Requirement Elimination: Governor Stands Firm
- Reducing the Science High School Graduation Requirement – A Step in the Wrong Direction
- Call to Action – Science Graduation Mandate Elimination
- Education Bills Make Their Way Through the Legislature as Governor Brown’s Proposal to Eliminate the Graduation Requirement Mandate Continues to Make Waves
- Science Under Siege
- The History of the Graduation Requirement Mandate
- Governor Brown’s Proposed Budget Could Be Bad News for Science Education
In the Media:
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June 18th, 2012 at 10:53 pm
This is what I sent to Gil Cedillo and Ed Hernandez:
Please do not support Governor Brown’s proposal to eliminate 2nd year high school science. Science helps with critical thinking, problem solving, math, reading, and writing. Students going into the health and engineering field must take classes such as biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, anatomy/physiology, histology, embryology, ecology, zoology, marine biology, geology, genetics, etc. High school science teaches the basics; biology, chemistry, physics. When students wait until college to take these classes, they’re overwhelmed and disillusioned, there’s little interaction with the professor in a 250-seat lecture hall, the courses are at a faster pace and at a higher level. I’ve told my students many times, even if they fail physics in high school, at least they’ll have an idea what it’s like so that in college, they won’t be lost. I’ve taught 7th grade life science/health, 8th grade physics science, high school biology, chemistry, physiology, genetics and zoology. Before becoming a teacher, I was an x-ray technician and medical assistant for 15 years. I was a nusing student and pre-medical student at Cal State LA and took all the “hard” science classes, so I know what’s required. I really think it’s a disservice to students to not have THREE years of science, and the governor’s proposing only 1. STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers have to recruit people OUTSIDE of the United States to fulfill these jobs, including colleges, universities, and high schools. Why? Because prospective students don’t want to take the “hard” classes, when actually, it involves problem solving and critical thinking skills that revolves around abstract ideas and intangible objects.Students can learn reading, writing, and math through science. Please vote down Governor Brown’s proposal