Chapter 4
Science and Mathematics
Courses
SCIENCE
Time Spent in
Elementary Science
Instruction
Original Data for Slide 5
(not for presentation)
Table 4.1
Frequency with Which Self-Contained Elementary Classes
Receive Science and Mathematics Instruction, by Subject
Percent of Classes
Science
Grades K–3
All/Most days, every week
Three or fewer days, every week
Some weeks, but not every week
Grades 4–6
All/Most days, every week
Three or fewer days, every week
Some weeks, but not every week
20
39
41
(1.5)
(1.5)
(1.9)
35
33
32
(2.6)
(2.6)
(2.5)
Frequency with Which Self-Contained Elementary
Classes Receive Science Instruction
Percent of Classes
60
39
40
20
41
35
33
32
20
0
Grades K–3
All/Most days, every week
Some weeks, but not every week
Grades 4–6
Three or fewer days, every week
Original Data for Slide 7
(not for presentation)
Table 4.2
Average Number of Minutes per Day Spent
Teaching Each Subject in Self-Contained Classes,† by Grades
Number of Minutes
Grades K–3
Grades 4–6
Reading/Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
†
89
54
19
16
(1.7)
(1.0)
(0.5)
(0.4)
83
61
24
21
(2.2)
(1.4)
(0.9)
(0.8)
Only teachers who indicated they teach reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies
to one class of students were included in these analyses.
Average Number of Minutes Spent Teaching
Subjects in Self-Contained Classes, by Grades
100
89
83
Number of
Minutes
80
61
54
60
40
19
20
24
16
0
Grades K–3
Grades 4–6
Reading/Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
21
Science Course
Offerings
Original Data for Slide 10
(not for presentation)
Table 4.3
Type of Middle School Science Courses Offered, by Grade
Single-Discipline Science Courses Only
Coordinated or Integrated Science Courses Only
Both
Grade 6
36 (3.6)
45 (4.1)
19 (3.5)
Percent of Schools
Grade 7
46 (3.8)
38 (3.7)
15 (3.6)
Grade 8
47 (3.8)
36 (3.7)
18 (3.5)
Type of Middle School Science
Courses Offered, by Grade
Percent of Schools
60
40
20
47
46
45
38
36
19
36
15
18
0
Grade 6
Single -Discipline
Grade 7
Coordinated or Integrated
Grade 8
Both
Original Data for Slides 12–18
(not for presentation)
Table 4.4
High Schools Offering Various Science Courses
Percent of Schools
Biology/Life Science
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
Chemistry
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
Physics
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
Coordinated or Integrated Science Courses (including General Science and Physical Science)
Any level
Non-college prep
College prep, including honors
Environmental Science/Ecology
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
Earth/Space Science
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
Engineering
Any level
Non-college prep
1st year college prep, including honors
2nd year advanced
98
73
89
64
(0.9)
(2.7)
(1.9)
(3.4)
94
51
85
44
(1.8)
(2.7)
(2.5)
(2.6)
85
37
77
34
(1.9)
(2.9)
(2.5)
(2.2)
68
60
47
(3.2)
(3.2)
(2.8)
48
31
31
18
(3.2)
(2.7)
(2.4)
(1.4)
48
41
25
4
(2.9)
(2.9)
(2.2)
(0.8)
24
14
13
5
(2.1)
(2.1)
(1.5)
(1.1)
High Schools Offering Various
Biology/Life Science Courses
Percent of Schools
100
98
89
73
80
64
60
40
20
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
High Schools Offering Various
Chemistry Courses
Percent of Schools
100
94
85
80
60
51
44
40
20
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
High Schools Offering Various Physics
Courses
Percent of Schools
100
85
77
80
60
37
40
34
20
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
High Schools Offering Various
Integrated Science Courses
Percent of Schools
100
80
68
60
60
47
40
20
0
Any level
Non-college
prep
College prep,
including
honors
High Schools Offering Various
Environmental Science/Ecology Courses
Percent of Schools
100
80
60
48
40
31
31
18
20
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
High Schools Offering Various
Earth/Space Science Courses
Percent of Schools
100
80
60
48
40
41
25
20
4
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
High Schools Offering Various
Engineering Courses
Percent of Schools
100
80
60
40
24
14
20
13
5
0
Any level
Non-college 1st year
prep
college
prep,
including
honors
2nd year
advanced
Original Data for Slide 20
(not for presentation)
Table 4.5
Access to AP Science Courses
Percent of High
Schools Offering
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
AP Environmental Science
AP Physics C
43
34
22
17
12
(2.8)
(2.3)
(1.8)
(1.3)
(1.2)
Percent of High School
Students with Access
74
67
48
38
25
(1.7)
(1.8)
(1.9)
(2.0)
(2.0)
Access to AP Science Courses
100
80
74
67
AP Biology
60
48
43
40
38
34
22
20
AP Chemistry
AP Physics B
25
17
AP Physics C
12
0
Percent High Schools Offering
AP Env. Science
Percent High School Students
with Access
Original Data for Slide 22
(not for presentation)
Table 4.6
Number of AP Science
Courses Offered at High Schools
Percent of Schools†
0 courses
53 (3.1)
1 course
11 (2.1)
2 courses
10 (1.4)
3 courses
11 (1.4)
4 courses
10 (1.2)
5 courses
5 (0.8)
†
Only schools that responded about each AP science course
are included in this analysis.
Number of AP Science Courses
Offered at High Schools
60
Percent of Schools
53
40
20
11
10
11
10
5
0
0 courses
1 course
2 courses
3 courses
4 courses
5 courses
Original Data for Slides 24–26
(not for presentation)
Table 4.7
Average Number of AP Science Courses
Offered at High Schools, by Equity Factors
Average Number of Courses
Percent of Students in School Eligible for FRL
Lowest Quartile
Second Quartile
Third Quartile
Highest Quartile
School Size
Smallest Schools
Second Group
Third Group
Largest Schools
Community Type
Rural
Suburban
Urban
2.0
1.5
1.1
1.1
(0.2)
(0.3)
(0.2)
(0.2)
0.7
1.2
2.1
2.8
(0.1)
(0.2)
(0.2)
(0.2)
0.7
1.7
1.7
(0.1)
(0.2)
(0.3)
Average Number of Courses
Average Number of AP Science Courses Offered at High
Schools, by Percentage of Students in School Eligible for
Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
3
2.5
2
1.5
2
1.5
1.1
1.1
1
0.5
0
Lowest Poverty Second Quartile
Third Quartile
Highest Poverty
Schools
Schools
Quartile of Schools Based on Percentage of Students Eligible for
Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
Average Number of AP Science Courses
Offered at High Schools, by School Size
Average Number of Courses
3
2.8
2.5
2.1
2
1.5
1
1.2
0.7
0.5
0
Smallest Schools Second Group
Third Group
Largest Schools
Quartile of Schools Based on School Size
Average Number of AP Science Courses
Offered at High Schools, by Community Type
Average Number of Courses
3
2.5
2
1.7
1.7
Suburban
Community Type
Urban
1.5
1
0.7
0.5
0
Rural
Original Data for Slide 28
(not for presentation)
Table 4.8
Science Programs and Practices
Currently Being Implemented in High Schools
Percent of Schools
Physics courses offered this school year or in alternating years, on or off site
Concurrent credit/dual enrollment courses offered this school year or in alternating years
Students go to a Career and Technical Education Center for science and/or engineering instruction
Students go to a college or university for science and/or engineering courses
Science and/or engineering courses offered by telecommunications
Students go to another K–12 school for science and/or engineering courses
88
28
22
22
18
8
(2.9)
(2.8)
(3.2)
(2.4)
(2.9)
(2.5)
Science Programs and Practices Currently
Being Implemented in High Schools
Physics courses, on or off site
88
Concurrent credit/dual enrollment courses
28
Students go to college or university for
instruction
22
Students go to Career/Technical Education
Center for instruction
22
Science/engineering courses offered by
telecommunications
18
Students go to another K–12 school for
instruction
8
0
20
40
60
80
Percent of Schools
100
Other
Characteristics of
Science Classes
Original Data for Slide 31
(not for presentation)
Table 4.19
Prior-Achievement Grouping in Classes, by Subject and Grade Range
Elementary
Science Classes
Mostly low achievers
Mostly average achievers
Mostly high achievers
A mixture of levels
10
37
9
45
(1.3)
(1.8)
(1.1)
(2.0)
Percent of Classes
Middle
14
33
13
39
(2.0)
(2.0)
(1.6)
(2.3)
High
13
30
28
29
(1.1)
(1.3)
(1.3)
(1.4)
Prior Achievement Grouping in
Science Classes, by Grade Range
Percent of Classes
60
45
39
37
40
33
20
10
14
9
30 28 29
13
13
0
Elementary
Middle
High
Mostly low achievers
Mostly average achievers
Mostly high achievers
A mixture of levels
Original Data for Slides 33–34
(not for presentation)
Table 4.23
Average Percentages of Female and Non-Asian Minority
Students in Courses, by Grade Range and Course Type
Science
Non-Asian
Female
Minority
Grades
Elementary
Middle
High
High School Science Courses
Non-college prep
1st Year Biology
1st Year Chemistry
1st Year Physics
Advanced Science Courses
48
46
49
(0.5)
(0.7)
(0.8)
39
36
31
(1.9)
(1.6)
(1.2)
46
49
51
49
54
(1.2)
(1.6)
(1.4)
(1.8)
(1.9)
36
33
30
23
21
(2.3)
(2.7)
(1.8)
(2.7)
(2.3)
Average Percentage of Female Students in
High School Science Courses, by Course Type
Average Percent of Students
100
80
60
46
49
51
49
Non-college
prep
1st Year
Biology
1st Year
Chemistry
1st Year
Physics
54
40
20
0
Advanced
Science
Courses
Average Percentage of Historically Underrepresented
Students in High School Science Courses, by Course Type
Average Percent of Students
100
80
60
40
36
33
30
23
21
1st Year
Physics
Advanced
Science
Courses
20
0
Non-college
prep
1st Year
Biology
1st Year
Chemistry