Policy & Advocacy

An important part of ASTE’s mission involves policy and advocacy in the broader science teacher education community. Below you can find information about the policy and advocacy activities of ASTE.

NSTA/ASTE 2020 Standards for Science Teacher Preparation

In 2015, the NSTA Board of Directors reached out to ASTE to develop a joint committee charged with revising/developing a new set of science teacher preparation standards that would better reflect the goals of the Framework. From 2016 to the early part of 2018, this committee designed and sought multiple rounds of feedback from various professional subject-specific science teaching organizations (e.g., National Association of Biology Teachers, American Chemical Society, American Association of Physics Teachers, and National Association of Geoscience Teachers), as well as the membership of ASTE and NSTA. At the 2018 summer board meetings for both ASTE and NSTA, the new 2020 Standards for Science Teacher Preparation were approved. These standards are intended to be used by science teacher preparation programs in preparing for accreditation or program design. These standards can also serve as a guide for state agencies developing licensure standards for science teacher preparation.

For more information about the development of these standards, see:

Morrell, P. D., Park Rogers, M. A., Pyle, E. J., Roehrig, G., & Veal, W. R. (2020). Preparing Teachers of Science for 2020 and Beyond: Highlighting Changes to the NSTA/ASTE Standards for Science Teacher Preparation. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 31(1), 1-7.  

Take a look at the new 2020 NSTA/ASTE standards.

Below are the Content Analysis Forms for use with Candidates’ Cumulative Science GPA Data as partial evidence for Standard 1

• 2020 NSTA Standards 1-6
• 2020_Content Analysis Form Secondary
• Elementary_Earth Space Science
• Elementary_Life Science
• Elementary_Physical Science
• Middle School_ALL Disciplines
• Secondary life science
• Secondary_Chemistry
• Secondary_Earth Space
• Secondary_Physics

ASTE Leadership Statements and Legislative Actions

• Presidential Letter to the Membership Regarding Racial Injustice
• What is the role of science education in times such as these?
• Open Letter to Chairman Alexander and Chairman Kline
• ASTE Response to Proposed Legislation

ASTE Position Statements

ASTE provides  leadership in science teacher education by identifying the qualities and standards for the preparation and development of teachers of science; these are set forth in the form of position statements, which are used to support the improvement of science teacher education at all levels.

The following ASTE position statements represent the organization’s official stand on key issues important to the teaching and learning of science teachers, as well as the membership’s response to these issues. Position statements are reviewed every 5 years, under direction of the President.

• Position Statement on Professional Knowledge Standards for Science Teacher Educators [under review]
• Position Statement on Inclusion of Underserved Populations in Science Education [under review]
• Position Statement on Environmental and Sustainability Education [under revision]
• Position Statement on Science Teacher Preparation and Career-long Development [under review]
• Position Statement on Technology in Science Teacher Education [under review]
• Position Statement on Teaching Biological Evolution [under review]
• Position Statement on Assessment of Science Teacher Preparation Programs [under development]