Meeting the needs of the individual student in the post-pandemic era: an analysis of the next generation science standards

Since the adoption of the No Child Left Behind Act, states have had to adopt rigorous, K-12 academic science standards to secure federal funding. Corresponding to this legislation and a concurrent call for equitable, relevant science standards, the Next Generation Science Standards were developed. As the country learns to coexist with the Covid-19 pandemic, science educators and policymakers need to address how to support the students with this shared experience. Grounded in self-determination theory as a critical perspective, I discuss the content and implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards through analyzing the potential impact they may have on student perception of their own autonomy, competence, and relatedness. I seek to continue the discussion around particular shortcomings in the NGSS relating to the needs of the post-pandemic student including issues around the topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Finally, I call for improvements to the standards' implementation to refocus its attention on the specific needs of the intersectional, K-12 student.