MANDATORY VOLUNTEER INFORMATION SESSION: August 30, 2004 at 4:30-5:30 pm in Gerrard (one room). Please download application from Volunteers section.

     "The system is failing, not the student" proclaimed Dr. Schmidt[1] in a speech advising science educators in North Carolina after North Carolina participated in the 2003 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The test was given to 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th grade students and its purpose was to see where students around the world compared to each other in the areas of mathematics and science. American students, North Carolinians in particular, performed extremely poorly on these exams in comparison to others. In three lectures given by Dr. Schmidt to North Carolina teachers, he said, “Our current curriculum is also highly repetitive…students should have access to new science.” This statement underlies the need for an exciting and necessary twist to the curriculum that can intrigue students with cutting edge science.

As reported by the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 75% of North Carolina students in grades four and eight have partially mastered or less than partially mastered the prerequisite knowledge and skills in science that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade. The following is a graphic detailing the test results:

 Achievement Levels for Science, North Carolina[2] 

In addition to this, North Carolina does not include a science portion on their end of grade test used to evaluate both elementary and middle school students

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Last modified: August 26, 2004