It turns out my prediction that New Jersey was next in line to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards was correct. (Not that I’m feeling smug or anything ... )
On July 9, the New Jersey education department announced that the state board had adopted the common science standards, making it the 12th state to do so. (The District of Columbia has also adopted the standards.)
The science standards, developed by 26 lead state partners—New Jersey among them—and several national organizations, emphasize application, scientific inquiry and engineering design.
“The Next Generation Science Standards will enable schools to take science to the next level and to challenge and inspire students to embrace scientific inquiry both in and out of the classroom,” said Mark W. Biedron, president of the state board, regarding New Jersey’s decision.
Here’s the updated adoption map.