Alignment of the 2003 NSTA Standards for Science Teacher Preparation with the NCATE Assessment System

Abstract

The 2003 National Science Teachers Association Standards for Science Teacher Preparation (NSTA-SSTP) were developed to provide guidelines and expectations for science teacher preparation programs. This article is the second in a special JSTE series on accreditation written to assist science teacher educators in meeting the NSTA-SSTP and to answer questions that may arise such as: What are the requirements for NSTA science teacher preparation program recognition? How are the 2003 NSTA-SSTP aligned with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education assessments? In this article, the authors focus on the three themes that science teacher preparation programs must address: content, pedagogy, and student learning. Included is a description of the priorities of the review process and the minimum competencies needed for a science teacher preparation program to be nationally recognized.