Science Ability Down in U.S. High Schools

An anonymous reader writes "According to the International Herald Tribune, a nationwide test has shown that the ability to reason scientifically is less well developed across the board for high schoolers. Fourth graders, ironically, are actually better at reasoning in the sciences now than they were ten years ago." From the article: "The drop in science proficiency appeared to reflect a broader trend in which some academic gains made in elementary grades and middle school have been seen to fade during the high school years. The science results come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a comprehensive examination administered in early 2005 by the Department of Education to more than 300,000 students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and on U.S. military bases around the world."

I went to a US high school...

[St. Arbirix]

but I'm not sure what this article is talking about. :-(

From the article

[Wellington Grey]

The falling average science test scores among high school students, announced Wednesday, appeared certain to increase anxiety about American academic competitiveness and to add new urgency to calls from President George W. Bush

Yes, if anyone can save science education in the US it's going to be Dubya.

-Grey [wellingtongrey.net]

Interesting

[Wellington Grey]

Michael Padilla, a professor at the University of Georgia who is president of the National Science Teachers Association, said that the problem is not that universities are failing to train sufficient numbers of science majors or that too few opt for classroom careers, but that about a third of those who accept teaching jobs abandon the profession within five years.

Wow! I've just finished my first year as a teacher. Only four more to go before I'm filled with apathy and burned out on my chosen profession. I can't wait.

-Grey [wellingtongrey.net]

We just need to redefine the word "science"

[Jim in Buffalo]

Rather than using the word to describe the process for evaluating empirical knowledge, we need to redefine "science" to mean the process for watching TV, playing videogames, getting high, and meeting up at the shopping mall food court... then we will have the very creme of the crop here in the good ol' USA.

shiny things

[Anonymous Coward]

Who cares about science...did you see what happened on American Idol last night?! Two words: WOW!

Well, I'm off to MySpace to blog
Bye LOL

Re:I went to a US high school...

[teknomage1]

This article's results are obvious. When Spider-Man went to high school in the 60's he was able to synthesize web fluid in his chemistry lab. What do modern high schoolers make? A fat load of nothing that's what. I say we need more web fluid in schools.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:From the article

[Bogtha]

I had a friend fired in New York for mentioning the existence of evolution in a class.

That wasn't very nice of you!