Related Articles:

Has Inquiry Made a Difference? A Synthesis of Research on the Impact of Inquiry Science Instruction on Student Outcomes  
April 2006  
Conceptualizing Inquiry Science Instruction – This report introduces and explains a structure for describing inquiry science instruction.  
Click here for the article.

NSTA Position Statement: Elementary School Science  
July 2002  
This paper supports inquiry-based science as a basic source for science education.  
Click here for the article.

AAAS Project 2061: Science Literacy for All in  the 21^st Century  
October 1999  
This paper takes a look at the growing role science, math and technology are taking in today’s society and how the curriculum should emphasize the depth of these topics.  
Click here for the article. 

What America Thinks About Science Reform  
Not Dated  
This paper is an analysis of the Bayer Facts of Science Education I-V. http://www.bayerus.com/msms/news/pages/factsofscience/analysis-1.html#current                 

Project 2061 to Focus on Building Public Support and Improving Texts  
Winter 2002  
This article provides an overview of the need for good science education.  
Click here for the article.

Related Publications:

National Science Education Standards
1996
National Academy Press
The National Science Education Standards present a vision of a scientifically literate populace. They outline what students need to know, understand, and be able to do to be scientifically literate at different grade levels. They describe an educational system in which all students demonstrate high levels of performance, in which teachers are empowered to make the decisions essential for effective learning, in which interlocking communities of teachers and students are focused on learning science, and in which supportive educational programs and systems nurture achievement.
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309053269/html/index.html

Every Child a Scientist: Achieving Scientific Literacy for All
National Academy Press
1997
This article is for those who want to take an active role in improving the science program in their schools.. The first section of this article argues that science should be a part of all students’ education. The second section provides a vision of the curriculum and teaching in a classroom where students can gain the understanding of science and technology that they need in today’s society. Sections three and four outline how the Standards can help provide the quality of science being taught and how it is assessed. The last section suggests what you can do to become a partner in improving science teaching and learning in your school.
http://www.nap.edu/books/0309059860/html/index.html

Is Your Child's Science Education What It Should Be?  
Ten Questions to Ask Your Local School
AAAS Project 2061
1998
Schools are back in full swing, but how can parents know if their child’s education is up to par? Scientists and educators with Project 2061, a long-term reform initiative to improve science, mathematics, and technology education, worry that today’s students aren’t being prepared well enough to live in tomorrow’s science-oriented world.
“It is clear that the future will depend upon adults who can make wise use of science and technology,” stated Dr. George Nelson, a former astronaut who is now Director of Project 2061, a program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “We need to make sure we are educating our students to take an active part in that world,” he said.
The concern is well founded. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study found that while American fourth graders do well versus their counterparts throughout the world in mathematics and science, the relative performance of U.S. eighth graders was well below that of the fourth graders. This follows on the heels of other discouraging studies of student achievement.
That is why Project 2061 has created a set of ten questions parents can ask their local schools to help them determine whether their child is gaining the knowledge and skills they will need as adults in the 21st century.
http://www.project2061.org/research/questions/10QText.htm