Science Groups Ask Academy To Lead Standards Initiative

By Peter West

WASHINGTON--The NationaI Academy of Sciences is expected to take a lead role in a new initiative to coordinate the efforts of several organizations trying to develop standards for what students need to know and be able to do in the sciences.

"Several different science-education organizations have approached [the academy] to take the lead in convening and overseeing the process of developing and building consensus behind [such] standards," said Ken Hoffman, the associate executive officer for education at the National Research Council, a branch of the academy.

But while academy officials are looking favorably on the project, he noted, the decision to have the N.R.C. take a "lead role" in the undertaking has...