DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of the Secretary

FINAL

REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER

501 State Content Standards

I. SUMMARY OF THE EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION SUBMITTED

The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as the content standards for science. The NGSS were developed in partnership with 26 states, including Delaware.

Notice of the proposed regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on August 3, 2013, in the form hereto attached as Exhibit "A". In addition, five public informational hearings were held at the dates listed below. At the time of the public informational hearing, a powerpoint presentation and handouts were provided http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/staff/ci/content_areas/science.shtml.

The Department received comments from the Governor's Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens and the State Council for Persons with Disabilities endorsing the adoption of the amendments. There were 6 additional comments received and considered by the Department. Some of the concerns raised included, but were not limited to, implementation costs and timeline, loss of local control for instruction, professional development for teachers, "rigor" within the NGSS, and "ownership" of the standards. A comment was also received related to student privacy and data.

The Department believes the powerpoint and handouts address many of the issues raised, but is also aware that all implementation questions cannot be answered at this time. The Department is committed to partnering with the districts and charter schools to maximize efficiencies in implementation. In addition, the state is a lead state in the NGSS Consortium. This partnership provides the opportunity for sharing of resources. The adoption of these standards does not preclude a district or charter school from providing advanced coursework, such as Advanced Placement. The Department values and encourages continued engagement from the community on the implementation process.

II. FINDINGS OF FACTS

The Secretary finds that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards in order to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as the content standards for science.

III. DECISION TO AMEND THE REGULATION

For the foregoing reasons, the Secretary concludes that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122, 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards attached hereto as Exhibit "B" is hereby amended. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.

IV. TEXT AND CITATION

The text of 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards amended hereby shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit "B", and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 501 Content Standards in the Administrative Code of Regulations for the Department of Education.

V. EFFECTIVE DATE OF ORDER

The actions hereinabove referred to were taken by the Secretary pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122 on September 19, 2013. The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.

IT IS SO ORDERED the 19th day of September 2013.

Department of Education

Mark T. Murphy, Secretary of Education

Approved this 19th day of September 2013

State Board of Education

501 State Content Standards

1.1 Instructional programs offered in the public schools of Delaware shall be in alignment with the appropriate content standards documents. These documents are: English Language Arts Curriculum Framework, Mathematics Curriculum Framework, Science Curriculum Framework, Social Studies Curriculum Framework, Health Education Curriculum Framework and Assessment, Physical Education Content Standards, Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards, Agriscience Curriculum Framework Content Standards, Business Finance and Marketing Education Curriculum Framework Content Standards, World Language Curriculum Framework Content Standards, Technology Education Curriculum Framework Content Standards, Skilled and Technical Sciences Content Standards and the Family and Consumer Sciences Content Standards.

1.1.1 The content standards documents may from time to time hereafter be amended with the approval of the Secretary and the State Board of Education.

1.1.1.1 Effective with the 2010-2011 school year, Delaware Content Standards in English language arts and mathematics shall be comprised of the Common Core Standards developed in partnership with the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

1.1.1.2 Effective with the 2013-2014 school year, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) developed in partnership with twenty-six (26) states, including Delaware, shall be adopted as the Delaware Content Standards in science. For purposes of this subsection, “adopted” shall mean to accept a set of standards as the basis for curriculum and assessment alignment across the state according to a timeline established and disseminated by the Department of Education.

1.1.2 Integration of the content standards shall be provided for within and across the curricula.

1.1.3 Instructional materials and curricula content shall be kept current and consistent with provisions of 14 DE Admin. Code 502 Alignment of Local School District Curricula to the State Content Standards and 14 DE Admin. Code 503 Instructional Program Requirements.