As we approach the talk on alternative science education, it’s time to take a look at the state of science education in California.

In 2005, the government conducted testing of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders in Science. The report, titled the Nation’s Report Card, is just a comparative analysis using multiple choice/fill tests.

California has fared poorly in these tests, ranking in the bottom 5 nationwide (even though there has been improvement over the years.)

Here’s a sample question for a 4th grader:

Check out a special KQED QUEST segment on the struggles on California schools. In the segment, KQED explores not only the problems that plague the schools, but the emergence of many informal education programs.