Revising New Mexico’s science standards in 2003

Partly in response to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, most states use ‘‘standards’’ to guide the creation of K–12 curriculum in school districts. The authors of this talk were centrally involved in the 2003 revision of New Mexico’s science standards. According to the Fordham Foundation’s 2005 review of 50 state science standards, the 2003 revision took New Mexico’s standards from among the worst in the nation to seventh best. Summarizing that revision, this talk will challenge the audience to consider what every American should know about physical acoustics, science, and scientific methods, and how government‐established standards for K–12 education can support such goals. Examples of the relationship between core science standards and specialized subjects, such as acoustics, will be given, and the measurable effect of standards‐based curriculum development on student achievement in one New Mexico school district will be described. The influence of those who mix science and religion will also be dis...