As part of a national effort to produce "next generation" science standards for K-12 education, a panel of experts convened by the National Research Council (NRC) has issued a draft of a conceptual framework designed to guide the standards and "move science education toward a more coherent vision." One key goal of the effort is to focus science instruction on a more limited number of core ideas that students can learn in greater depth. Two other priorities of the document are to embrace science learning as an "ongoing developmental progression" that enables students to continually build on and revise their knowledge and abilities, and to emphasize that learning about science and engineering involves the integration of content knowledge with the practices needed to engage in scientific inquiry and engineering design. The new science initiative comes nearly 15 years after the NRC first issued a set of national science education standards. The draft presents a "vision of the scope and nature of the education in science and engineering that is needed in the 21st century." The framework describes the "major scientific ideas and practices that all students should be familiar with by the end of high school." It also includes a strong emphasis on engineering and technology. The framework organizes disciplinary ideas in four major areas: (1) life sciences; (2) earth and space sciences; (3) physical sciences; and (4) engineering and technology. Once the framework is finalized, Achieve, a group formed by governors and business leaders, will develop the standards, in collaboration with states and other interested stakeholders. The standards are expected to be finalized late next year.