Illinois has officially joined the ranks of states adopting the Next Generation Science Standards.
Although the state board of education voted to adopt the standards in late January, that move was pending review by a legislative committee. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules issued a certificate of “no objection” to the adoption at the end of February, and that rule appeared in the March 14 Illinois Register. The standards will be implemented in the 2016-17 academic year.
Ten other states and the District of Columbia have adopted the standards as well. Most recently, Nevada and Oregon committed to the common science standards, which emphasize conceptual thinking, scientific inquiry, and engineering design.
For more on the national pace of adoption and where other states stand, see this recent Education Week story.