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I'm in Chicago at a Common Core Conference where representatives from both Common Core assessment consortia are present.  I asked them if they thought they would be developing the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) assessments.  They said thus far, they are not. I have spent the last year reading the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) and every document produced by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC).  Having done so, I realize that the CCSS-M will not change how math is taught at all, but the assessment will.  If the assessments come to fruition as I've read, they will force dramatic improvements in curricular materials and ultimately teaching.  As you know, assessment drives instruction (this is why science is nearly absent from our elementary schools).  To develop these "next generation assessments" for CCSS, both SBAC and PARCC were granted $147 million dollars each. They haven't been offered the funding required to develop assessments for science.  If each state continues to develop assessment systems for science the same way they have in the past, we will get the same results we have in the past, and science teaching will not improve regardless of the innovations in the standards (although engineering might half-heartily be introduced). As with math and ELA, the assessment will be the game changer.  We need to encourage a national dialog to create an innovative assessment system for science as one of our primary goals for STEM education.  Now is the time to act with urgency and promote the conversation, while the NGSS is still being developed.

I'm not familiar with the NGSS Assessment, does the assessment measure science process skills or application of content? Or is it more of a subject/content exam? Personally I prefer assessments which measure application of content knowledge.

You bring up an interesting point, James. Being that the NGSS document is just now being presented to all of us in a "first draft" form, I don't see funding materializing or work being started on an assessment piece until the document is finalized and accepted by the majority of states. What are others' thoughts on this?

James, I may be idealistic but I am hoping that making sure our students are college and career ready will change instruction. Having said that, you are absolutey correct, assessment drives change. Knowing that SBAC will be assessing mathematics in 2014-2015, I am hoping that mathematical practices will be implemented in the next school year. The same is true in ELA, I am hoping because of the assessment, elementary teachers will begin using a balance of literature and informational text in the classroom. I also hope students are taught how to read complex text" Back to NGSS, Carolyn is correct, those standards are being revised by the writers as I write this. They will come out one more time for feedback somewhere around Novemeber, with the final release planned for next spring. I do know there is a committee at the national level that is currently researching and discussing potential assessment ideas for the NGSS. That is all I know. Kathy

The archived webinar discussing the NGSS is a good one to watch for anyone looking for information about the precursor to the new standards. It is called A Framework for K-12 Science Education. It aired a year ago on July 26, 2011 and helps one understand how NGSS has evolved.
Carolyn

During the development of the CCSS, Federal funds were used to establish the two assessment consortia. Who was providing the assessment and their methods for assessing were shared when the documents were rolled out. Throughout the development of the NGSS, I've heard evolving plans for assessment. It began with states would all contribute banks of their current items. Currently, my state is involved in making preparations to write its own assessments, although I think they would prefer the CCSS assessment consortia take it over. This is why I was so surprised to hear from both PARCC and SBAC that they had no plans currently in the works for science. If the same funding is not available, and they haven't laid the assessment groundwork, then they are way behind in their timeline to be ready when the NGSS is finalized (as was the case for the CCSS). I too have heard rumblings of national groups stirring up the