BY: NATASHA JASPERSON
The state of science education in the United States is at a crossroads. While the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were introduced to foster scientific literacy and critical thinking, their implementation has revealed significant shortcomings. Over a decade later, U.S. science achievement remains stagnant, with students struggling to grasp core concepts and essential skills like experiment design and the scientific method. As the demands of a rapidly evolving, science-driven world grow, the need for a new approach is clear. The Franklin Standards aim to bridge these gaps, offering a vision of science education grounded in clarity, foundational knowledge, and real-world relevance.
The implementation of the NGSS, which focuses on “three-dimensional learning,” was intended to revolutionize science education in the United States. Three-dimensional learning refers to the core concept behind the NGSS, where science education is structured around three key dimensions: Disciplinary Core Ideas (what students need to know), Science and Engineering Practices (how students should learn), and Crosscutting Concepts (the big ideas that connect across science disciplines). This approach marked a departure from traditional teaching methods centered on foundational topics like the scientific method. However, over a decade later, the results reveal a concerning stagnation in U.S. science achievement. According to a TIMSS study, U.S. performance in science has shown no significant improvement since 1995, with the country ranking 11th globally.
Meanwhile, nations with more structured curriculums, such as Singapore, Finland, and Japan, continue outperforming the United States. In 2018, only 9% of American students taking the PISA test were top performers in science (Levels 5 or 6), a far lower proportion than the 22.3% of Chinese students who were top performers. These challenges are compounded by rising concerns about students’ scientific literacy, including confusion between theories and opinions and a decline in essential skills like designing experiments or understanding cause and effect.
The NGSS falls short by prioritizing abstract practices like modeling and systems thinking over tangible, foundational skills crucial for scientific inquiry. Core principles such as the scientific method have been sidelined, leaving students without a solid base on which to build. The NGSS’s jargon-heavy language complicates its implementation and makes it difficult for teachers to balance abstract concepts with clear, actionable goals. The standards’ focus on crosscutting concepts often overshadows the need to cultivate genuine curiosity about the natural world, missing a vital opportunity to engage students with real-world phenomena that could anchor foundational knowledge and inspire exploration.
Nathan Gwinn, Catholic and Public School Administrator, said, “You know boots on the ground will tell you that most teachers are not following (NGSS) whatsoever. Mostly because if you follow them, by how they’re created, your kid won’t pass any assessments at all because they’re not crafted well enough to then be assessed.”
The Franklin Standards represent a much-needed shift toward education that prioritizes foundational knowledge and real-world relevance. By emphasizing essential concepts, such as the scientific method and basic principles of Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences, these standards ensure students build a strong base before progressing to more advanced topics. The Franklin Standards are written in clear, accessible language and are designed to be easily understood by educators, students, and parents. They are accompanied by practical resources and straightforward benchmarks to guide teaching. This approach bridges the gap between timeless methods of inquiry and the demands of modern challenges. The benefits of the Franklin Standards include rigorous, content-rich standards that provide clear definitions and methods of scientific reasoning. They allow for teacher flexibility in pedagogy. They also provide the appropriate scaffolding that cultivates scientific curiosity. The Franklin Standards prepare students with the essential knowledge and skills to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Gwinn said, “The Franklin Standards allows parents and teachers to have a more concise, clear idea of what students should be knowing and take the politics out of the science.”
The Franklin Standards chart a transformative path forward for science education, striving to balance acquiring foundational knowledge with practical application. They emphasize the importance of blending hands-on experimentation with a solid grounding in core principles, which is an essential tool for sparking curiosity and understanding in students. This dual focus ensures students understand the “how” and the “why” of scientific inquiry, creating a more comprehensive learning experience. Central to this vision is the empowerment of educators. The Franklin Standards provide teachers with clear, practical tools and benchmarks, which allow them the flexibility to deliver engaging lessons without being hindered by the jargon-heavy complexity that has plagued other frameworks like the NGSS. This approach fosters a more accessible and effective learning environment for educators and students.
Beanie Geoghegan of Freedom in Education said, “The Franklin Standards help the parents to know what their kids should be learning. It helps teachers to know what content they should be teaching. And there’s just no gray area about it which I think is helpful.”
The Franklin Standards also prepare students for a competitive and interconnected world. By ensuring students are rooted in timeless scientific principles and equipping them to tackle modern challenges, the standards set the stage for global competitiveness. Graduates will be ready to compete with their peers worldwide and make meaningful contributions to STEM fields. This addresses the critical scientific and technological challenges of the future.
The failure of the NGSS to deliver on its promises has underscored the need for a bold new approach to science education. By prioritizing abstract practices over foundational knowledge, the NGSS has left students ill-prepared for real-world challenges and alienated educators with its complexity. The Franklin Standards present a unique opportunity to address these shortcomings by refocusing on clarity, accessibility, and the foundational principles that underpin scientific literacy. They offer a blueprint for a more effective and inspiring science education that cultivates curiosity, equips students with essential knowledge and skills, and prepares them to thrive in a world driven by science and technology. It is time to move forward and embrace a new era that empowers students and educators to meet the demands of the future.
