CARCIERI ANNOUNCES STATE FUNDING IN FY2007 BUDGET FOR PHYSICS FIRST RI CURRICULUM

01-25-2006

Governor & Mrs. Carcieri and Nobel Laureate Leon Lederman Meet with 8th Grade Students Who Will Be Taking Physics as Freshmen

Governor Donald L. Carcieri today announced that he will include $425,000 in funding for the Physics First curriculum that begins at five Rhode Island high schools this fall. This pilot program reorders the traditional high school science curriculum sequence to begin with the teaching of physics in the ninth grade.

The Governor made his announcement at Cranston West High School, where he, First Lady Sue Carcieri, and Dr. Leon Lederman, a Nobel Laureate in Physics, met with some of the 8th grade students from Western Hills Middle School who will be taking physics next year. Science teachers from schools participating in the initiative were also in attendance. Governor Carcieri announced the Physics First initiative on November 29.

Governor Carcieri said that he was adding a $425,000 line item to his FY 2007 budget proposal that he would be submitting shortly to supplement a $250,000 National Governors Association grant that is helping to fund the pilot program over a two-year period. The NGA funds are being used for professional development for teachers, while the state funds will provide physics texts and other lab materials.

“This is an important program for Rhode Island that supports my goal to improve how our students learn, especially in the critical subjects of math and science,” Governor Carcieri said. “This is a curriculum that is aligned to Rhode Island’s Grade Span Expectations and the new state assessments and will encourage students to take more advanced coursework in the sciences.”

“As Dr. Lederman has said, when students learn physics first, they develop a solid foundation of the concepts that will help them in their studies of chemistry and biology,” the Governor said. “When our students have a better grasp on science and math, they will perform better in their post-secondary educational pursuits or in the job market, which increasingly require advanced skills.”

“Infusing our students with strong mathematics and science skills and encouraging them to pursue careers in these specialized fields will pave the way to a stronger, more competitive Rhode Island,” Governor Carcieri said. “It is clear that our high school students, here in Rhode Island and nationally, are falling behind their peers in other countries when it comes to learning and understanding mathematics, science and technology.”

The Physics First initiative is in line with one of the key recommendations of Governor Carcieri’s Blue Ribbon Panel Report on Math and Science Education, which was released in September and called for providing opportunities for all students to engage in rigorous science, technology, engineering and mathematics coursework. Physics First increases the rigor and role that math and science education plays in participating Rhode Island schools.

Five high schools were selected to participate in the pilot project. They are: Cranston West High School, East Providence High School, Lincoln High School, Mount Pleasant High School, and Woonsocket High School.

Students in each of these five schools will follow their ninth-grade physics course with chemistry in the tenth grade, and biology in the eleventh grade. The current high school science curriculum sequence of biology, chemistry, and physics was established in 1893.

This new curriculum structure will encourage more twelfth grade students to pursue advanced science coursework, such as Advanced Placement Physics, Chemistry or Biology, senior research projects, or other science-related capstone courses. This sequence provides for the inclusion of engineering content and activities that are embedded within the science courses, and engages students in a more rigorous science curriculum.

As part of the initiative, science department chairs and science teachers at these schools will participate in professional development and receive mentoring throughout the pilot project. At least five teachers from each school will participate in the training. Participating schools will also receive new physics equipment and texts as well as microscale chemistry materials.

With the Physics First approach, the chemistry curriculum will be modified to teach microscale chemistry. Microscale chemistry reduces the use of chemical experiments in the classroom to improve safety, lessens the chances of explosions and fire hazards, and lowers the costs of maintaining chemistry laboratories.

Governor Carcieri’s record on education

The Physics First Rhode Island initiative is part of Governor Carcieri’s efforts to improve education in Rhode Island’s schools. Governor Carcieri has taken a number of actions to improve student success:

• The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Math and Science Education, chaired by Governor Carcieri, released its report in September. It is an action plan that lays out a series of steps to make the practical application of math and science a more integral part of a student’s education.
• In October, Governor Carcieri unveiled an innovative, computer-based program to enhance student learning of algebra at Central Falls Senior High School. The I CAN Learn program engages students in algebra through real-world applications that are delivered via multi-media presentations.
• Governor Carcieri began the funding for three math specialists in 2005 and two science specialists in 2006 to enhance the RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s capacity to support improved student results.
• The RI Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is developing a statewide curriculum in English Language Arts and Math that will be completed in August 2006. Governor Carcieri will also be introducing legislation to create a statewide science curriculum.
• Governor Carcieri advocated for the expanded school day and increased professional development for teachers. By the 2006-07 school year, all public schools will have 5.5 hours daily of actual instruction time.
• Governor Carcieri increased resources for secondary schools in Intervention Status. Funding to improve the learning environment at these schools has increased from $1.1 million in FY 2004 to $2.9 million in FY 2006.
• Governor Carcieri created the PK-16 Council to inform policy on education and ensure every Rhode Island high school graduate is proficient and college and work ready, confident in their academic preparation to pursue their career goals. The Council is comprised of key K-12, higher education, business and workforce development stakeholders.