• NSTA Legislative Update: President Bush Vetoes Education Funding Bill
• American Students Behind International Peers in Math and Science; California's High-End BioTech High Schools
• Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton is Birmingham Keynote Speaker
• Slate for 2008 Board and Council Elections Announced
• A Vision for Informal Science Success
• Give the Best Gift of All—the Gift of Membership in NSTA!

NSTA Legislative Update: President Bush Vetoes Education Funding Bill

As expected President Bush vetoed the $150.7 billion FY2008 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS-Ed) Appropriations bill last week, saying it would provide more funding than he requested. In other news the House Education and Labor Committee has approved their version of the Higher Education Act, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York announced it will be forming another task force to address the current state of science and math education. Read this and more in the latest issue of the NSTA Legislative Update.

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American Students Behind International Peers in Math and Science; California's High-End BioTech High Schools

According to a study by the American Institute of Research (AIR), Chance Favors the Prepared Mind: Mathematics and Science Indicators for Comparing States and Nations, international students in top performing countries rank well above their eighth-grade peers in the top-performing states. National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results from 2005 (science) and 2007 (mathematics) were compared to 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) country-by-country results.

• Read the Education Week article (free registration required)

A New York Times article examines how a select few of California high schools are helping to cultivate a fresh crop of scientists, engineers and lab technicians through innovative biotechnology lab experiences and partnerships with biotech companies. "If you're interested in seeing the future of biotechnology education," writes reporter G. Pascal Zachary, "you might want to visit one of George Cachianes's classrooms." In this teacher's view, "[s]tudents are motivated by understanding the relationships between research, creativity and making money."

• Read the New York Times article (free registration required)

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Astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton is Birmingham Keynote Speaker

Don’t miss your chance to explore the solar system with keynote speaker Kathryn C. Thornton at our third area professional development conference in Birmingham, Alabama. This accomplished physicist, astronaut, educator and four-time space flight veteran will describe her experiences in space and what she sees as opportunities for future explorers.

Online registration ends November 30 at noon. If you become an NSTA member, not only do you save the most on conference registration, but you get a whole year’s worth of member benefits.

• More information about the Birmingham conference

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Slate for 2008 Board and Council Elections Announced

Here are the candidates for NSTA Board and Council positions whose terms begin June 1, 2008:

Voting will be completely online this year. Ballots will be e-mailed to NSTA members on December 28, 2007. In order to receive a ballot, we must have a valid e-mail address in your member profile. Please verify your e-mail in your online member profile or e-mail membership@nsta.org by December 18 to ensure that you receive your ballot.

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A Vision for Informal Science Success

Just as science education doesn't stop at the schoolhouse door, neither should effective application of the National Science Education Standards. Exemplary Science in Informal Education Settings features 17 "informal" education programs that were judged to be the most successful at increasing participants' learning. The programs demonstrated how the National Science Education Standards can be used to inform and improve science education in a wide range of settings with learners ranging from preschool to older adults. Share in the vision for science education reform through real world examples outside the classroom and in everyday living, and see proven results.

• Details and ordering info

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Give the Best Gift of All—the Gift of Membership in NSTA!

With the holidays approaching, now is the time to give the gift of resources that will help the science educators in your life be the best they can be—gift membership in NSTA. You can download the gift application.

Your generous gift of an NSTA membership is an investment in the professional growth of your favorite science educator. Each membership includes a subscription to one grade-specific journal and NSTA Reports, a 20% discount on NSTA Press® books, up to 40% off conference registrations, award and professional development opportunities, and much more. Each new member will receive an acknowledgment letter indicating that his or her membership was a gift from you. Click here for more information, and happy holidays!

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And Don’t Forget…

Membership Means You Belong! Join NSTA for these essential benefits that will enhance your marketability in the teaching profession and build your professional knowledge. Being a member of NSTA means you’re part of an international community of practitioners dedicated to improving science education.

Visit the NSTA Science Store for an outstanding array of bestselling books and teaching resources. Receive 30% off of the November featured book, Virus and the Whale: Exploring Evolution in Creatures Small and Large.

Visit our member services web page to ensure that NSTA has your current contact information.