Wednesday, November 14, 2012

A new report says elementary schools in Kansas and surrounding states have reduced, or even eliminated, science education in recent years to emphasize reading and math.

The Kansas State Board of Education was told Tuesday that one in five elementary teachers in Kansas and surrounding states are recording science grades even when they don't teach the subject.

George Griffith, superintendent of the Trego school district, says he surveyed more than 900 elementary schools in Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

Griffith said teachers surveyed said they reported science grades even when not teaching or drastically reducing class time on science. They say they felt pressured to increase performance in reading and math.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Griffith found just over 55 percent of the K-6 teachers decreased science education.