Untapped Potential:Science Education from CFTL (Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning)

This is from CFTL:

Untapped Potential: The Status of Middle School Science Education in California

Untapped Potential: The Status of Middle School Science Education in California finds that the state's middle schools have the potential to provide students with high quality science education, but significant challenges limit opportunities for science learning, leaving that potential unfulfilled.  This statewide study of science education shows that middle schools offer dedicated time for science, access to facilities and a teaching force that is fairly well prepared for teaching the subject. But students often lack access to science instruction in earlier grades and arrive at middle school unprepared and uninterested. Systemic support for science has eroded and overcrowded classrooms, insufficient time for instruction and inadequate resources limit access to high quality learning opportunities.
The research shows that:

• nearly 40 percent of teachers view students' lack of interest as a major or moderate challenge to science instruction.
• nearly half (47%) of principals report students' lack of preparation as a major or moderate challenge.
• nearly one-quarter of middle school teachers may not have an adequate background or preparation for teaching the subject.
• nearly 60 percent of surveyed teachers identified insufficient professional development as a barrier to high-quality science instruction.
• just 14 percent of middle school teachers provide a pattern of classroom practices that support regular engagement of students in the practices of science.

The full report Untapped Potential is available at:
http://www.cftl.org/Whats__New.htm#16

Also are articles on:

Lost Opportunities: The Status of Science Education in California Middle Schools

High Hopes – Few Opportunities