State officials are putting together a new task force to review a proposed new set of standards for teaching science in Iowa schools. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds announced today that the Iowa Department of Education will convene a statewide task force to review the Next Generation Science Standards.

Officials from 26 states, including Iowa, worked two years to develop the standards that are supposed to create a common set of learning expectations in science for students in kindergarten through high school.

The task force announced by Reynolds will make a recommendation later this year to the Board of Education on whether the state should adopt the proposed standards as part of its overall Iowa Core standards for math, science, English language arts and social studies. Iowans can apply to be on the task force by contacting the Iowa Department of Education.

You can see the  Next Generation Science Standards here: www.nextgenscience.org.