taking the pulse of bioscience education in america: a state-by-state analysis battelle technology...
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Taking the pulse of bioscience education in America: A State-by-State Analysis
Battelle Technology Partnership Practice
May 2009
Project Team
Battelle World’s largest independent research and
development organization
Conducts $5.2 billion in global R&D annually
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)
Biotechnology Institute
PMP Public Affairs Consulting
Bioscience Talent Challenge
Like other technology-driven industries, the biosciences calls for a college-educated workforce (but not all PhDs and MDs), lots of technicians, engineers and quality control. Estimated that over 80% of life
science jobs require post-secondary education.
What differentiates biosciences industry is its specialized skill requirements.
MA Life Sciences Center, “Growing Talent: Meeting the Evolving Needs of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Industry,” found the following specific workforce shortages:
Clinical trials management Regulatory affairs Process development and
manufacturing engineers Pharmacology Laboratory animal care Specialty scientific fields,
like toxicology Quality assurance and
quality control
But U.S. falling behind…and so a crisis is brewing!
U.S. failing to keep pace with international competitors: On science literacy —as
measured by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) — U.S. stands 17th out of 29 OECD nations.
U.S. has slipped to 7th in the world in the educational attainment of younger adults aged 25 to 34 with at least an associate’s degree — serious risk that the educational attainment of younger workers in U.S. may fall short of older generation of workers it is replacing.
Warning Signs on Bioscience Education: On the National Assessment of
Educational Progress, life sciences scores for 12th graders have declined from 1996 to 2005.
Based on American College Test — a standardized achievement test for college admission — only 28% of U.S. students taking the test had a score indicating college readiness for biology.
Project Objective
Time is ripe for an in-depth analysis of states’ performance in preparing an educated bioscience workforce.
Focus on middle and high school level as primary feeders to postsecondary education and shapers of career awareness and preparation.
Key Questions: How well are students in high school
and middle school being prepared in the biosciences in particular and in science and mathematics in general?
How and to what extent are states incorporating the biosciences into school curricula?
How well prepared are science teachers to teach students about the biosciences?
To what extent are students exposed to the biosciences and made aware of career opportunities and educational requirements?
Methodology Framework was
developed after consultation with National experts in
bioscience education Industry leaders Biotechnology Institute
Data collection Battelle used existing
secondary data supplemented by state specific surveys
Framework Student achievement Standards and
requirements Teach quality and
preparation Experiential learning
and career awareness
Framework for Assessing Student Achievement
Indicators 8th Grade NAEP Life
Science Scores
Percent of AP Biology Students Scoring 3 or higher
Percent of ACT Tested Students Ready for College-level Biology
ACT-SAT Math Scores
SOURCES OF ACHIEVEMENT DATAThe National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP)Advanced placement (AP) tests The American College Test (ACT) The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
Percentage of 8th grade students that are “proficient” in science ranged from a high of 43% to a low of 14% among states in 2005 Only 52% of 12th
graders are at or above a “basic” level of achievement in the sciences, and for 8th graders only 57% are at a basic level of achievement
Even in states with the highest scores, fewer than half of 8th graders are “proficient” in science.
600
Share At or Above Proficient
81% to 100%
61% to 80%
41% to 60%
21% to 40%
0% to 20%
Data Not Available
600
Share At or Above Proficient
81% to 100%
61% to 80%
41% to 60%
21% to 40%
0% to 20%
Data Not Available
And scores in science and life science are not improving – 12th grade scores declined between 1996 and 2005
Trends in Science and Life Sciences NAEP Scores: Declining Achievement Among 12th Graders and No Improvement for 8th Graders
140
142
144
146
148
150
152
154
156
1996 2000 2005
Ave
rag
e S
cale
Sco
re (
0-30
0)
8th Grade Science Avg.
8th Grade Life Science Avg.
12th Grade Science Avg.
12th Grade Life Science Avg.
Striking regional differences in 8th grade NAEP Science Average Scores for 2005 with Northeastern, Mountain and Upper Midwest regions standing out as higher performers
600
Average Score
156.0 to 163.2
151.8 to 155.9
144.0 to 151.7
132.2 to 143.9
Data not available
600
Average Score
156.0 to 163.2
151.8 to 155.9
144.0 to 151.7
132.2 to 143.9
Data not available
Average Score
156.0 to 163.2
151.8 to 155.9
144.0 to 151.7
132.2 to 143.9
Data not available
Leading States in NAEP Science Achievement
North DakotaMontanaVermontNew HampshireSouth DakotaMassachusettsWyomingMinnesotaWisconsinIdahoMaine
High schools are not preparing students to pursue college-level science ACT has determined that those students who achieve a score of 24 in the
science section of the ACT have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher in college-level biology.
On average, only 28% of the high school students taking the ACT reached a score indicating college readiness for biology and no state reached even 50%.
600
Average Score
22.0 to 22.8
21.4 to 21.9
20.5 to 21.3
18.6 to 20.4
600
Average Score
22.0 to 22.8
21.4 to 21.9
20.5 to 21.3
18.6 to 20.4
Average Score
22.0 to 22.8
21.4 to 21.9
20.5 to 21.3
18.6 to 20.4
Leading States in ACT Science Achievement
New YorkMassachusettsMinnesotaWashingtonConnecticutIowaWisconsinNew HampshireVermontDelawareMaineSouth Dakota
States vary greatly in the percentage of their students that receive a passing grade of 3 or greater on the AP Biology test The share of
students scoring 3 or greater in AP Biology ranges from a low of 15% to a high of 68%
More than 60% of test takers in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Massachusetts score 3 or higher
600
Score of 3+
60% to 70%
50% to 59%
40% to 49%
≤ 39%
600
Score of 3+
60% to 70%
50% to 59%
40% to 49%
≤ 39%
Score of 3+
60% to 70%
50% to 59%
40% to 49%
≤ 39%
Wide disparities exist among the states in student performance in the biosciences and broader sciences Leaders of the Pack
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont, Wisconsin
Second Tier Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington
Middling Performance Alabama, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Montana, South Carolina, Wyoming
Lagging Performance Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia
Not Rated: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico were not rated as they did not participate in the NAEP science assessment in 2005
The patterns of student performance across key achievement measures suggest states fall into several broad categories.
Key measures:
8th grade NAEP life sciences score
Percent of AP biology students scoring 3 or higher
Percent of ACT tested students ready for college level biology
ACT-SAT math average indexed relative to the U.S.
Framework for Assessing Standards and Requirements
Indicators Findings
State commitment to bioscience education
Standards address biotechnology
31 states reported that their standards include reference to biotechnology
Dedicated state science standards staff
More than 80% of the states responding to the Battelle survey indicated that they had dedicated science staff
High School graduation requirements
Recent high school graduates, share completing a course in biology
Although only half the state require biology to graduate from high school, 92% of all high school graduates had completed a 1-year course in biology in 2005
Prevalence of advanced placement biology
On average, only 4.6% of high school graduates take the AP biology exam
Presence of bioscience schools and programs
Presence of one or more schools with a bioscience focus
At least half the states have at least one school with a biosciences focus and all states have schools with a STEM focus
Many state science standards require that students be made aware of biotechnology and its societal impacts Arkansas’ standards require that students:
Demonstrate a current understanding of life science theories
Describe the connections between pure and applied science
Describe various life science careers and the training required for selected careers
Investigate the molecular basis of genetics Engage in hands-on activities during at least 20%
of instructional time
Framework for Assessing Teacher Quality and Preparation
Indicators FindingsTeacher Quality
Certified biology teachers, grades 9–12
Nationally, 88% of biology teachers are certified, on average
20 of 28 states report certification levels greater than 90%
Science teachers with major in assigned field, grades 7–12
Nationally, 77% of science teachers at the middle and high school levels had a major in their assigned field in 2004; on a state basis shares range from a low of 55% to a high of 91%
Teacher Preparation
Professional development programs
Professional development programs to expose teachers to the biosciences exist in every state but they are sporadic and often serve only a small number of teachers
Teacher Education Programs
Many colleges and universities offer programs that enable students to major in biology and at the same time complete the requirements for teacher certification or offer education degrees with a specialization in science and/or biology
Alternative certification programs
Most states offer alternative certification programs that can be used to certify science and math teachers
Teacher Recruitment
Incentive Programs Loan forgiveness programs, scholarships and other financial incentives are being used to encourage college math and science students to consider careers as teachers
Framework for Assessing Experiential Learning and Career AwarenessIndicators Findings
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning opportunities for students and teachers
Experiential learning and career awareness programs are extremely widespread with colleges, universities, museums, and other science-based organizations providing services that include field trips, on –site classes for school groups, summer camps, workshops, and internships
Mobile science labs
10 states and Puerto Rico have traveling laboratories that bring the lab to middle and high schools providing an opportunity for hands-on experiments
Career awareness
Comprehensive web sites
16 states have comprehensive web sites that provide information on life science careers
More must be done to raise the level and quality of bioscience education if the U.S. is to remain globally competitive in the biosciences Student achievement in the biosciences, to the
extent it can be measured, is poor and not improving
Programs that seek to incorporate the biosciences and biotechnology in school curricula, improve teacher quality and knowledge of the biosciences, provide experiential learning, and increase career awareness are numerous but limited in their reach
Looking toward the future States should incorporate biotechnology as they revise
their science standards and should involve research scientists with expertise in the biosciences in their development
States must commit to improving student achievement in biology and the life sciences and ensuring that their high school graduates are ready to pursue college-level bioscience courses
States should do a better job of collecting and disseminating data to track student participation and performance in the biosciences and the broader sciences
States should take a more systematic approach to teacher professional development, experiential learning, and career awareness
Contacts
Mitch Horowitz
Vice-President
Battelle Technology Partnership Practice
240-462-5456
A copy of the report as well as the individual
profiles for the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia
can be found at
www.bio.org/local
or
www.battelle.org