The California Curriculum Commission has forwarded proposed criteria that textbook publishers must follow when producing science materials for California's K-8 schools. The State Board of Education will consider and probably vote on those criteria at their next meeting March 10 and 11, 2004 in Sacramento. The proposed criteria are available online at

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/sc/cf/documents/scicriteria04.pdf

The website of the California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) includes additional background information, and also has a link to the proposed criteria.

http://www.cascience.org/IMCriteria.html

These criteria will affect adoption of future K-8 science instructional materials. Teachers and other interested education stakeholders can communicate their feedback to the State Board and other state officials who play significant roles with respect to education policies.

The CSTA website includes the following suggested addresses:

State Board of Education
1430 N Street, Room 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-319-0827
FAX: 916-319-0175

Secretary of Education Richard Riordan
Office of the Secretary for Education
1121 L Street, Suite 600
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-323-0611
Fax: 916-323-3753

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell
California Department of Education
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319ˆ0800

Hon. Jackie Goldberg
Chair, Assembly Education Committee
California State Assembly, Room 2003
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0045

Hon. John Vasconcellos
Chair, Senate Education Committee
California State Senate
State Capitol, Room 5108
Sacramento, CA 95814

NOTE: the California Department of Education recently completely revised their website, and many links are no longer to be found. I'm trying to get them all updated, but can't find any trace of some formerly useful pages - thanks for your patience. - AEOE Webmaster