
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992                   TAG: 9203270139
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

REPORT CARD: U.S. LAGS IN SCIENCE

American students are learning the fundamentals of science, but they are not developing the sophisticated skills needed to analyze or integrate scientific information, a major study released Thursday by the Department of Education says.

The 1990 Science Report Card, prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics, is based on a 1990 national survey of nearly 20,000 students in grades four, eight and 12, testing their knowledge in the life, physical, earth, space and natural sciences.

It found, for example, that in fourth grade, 85 percent of the students understood simple scientific principles. In the eighth grade, 64 percent were able to apply those general principles. But by grade 12, despite the completing college-preparatory level classes, fewer than half had the higher-level skills needed to analyze and use information to solve problems. - Los Angeles Times

by CNB