Science Pathways

For each and every student, science is a natural foundation for the development of language, logic, and problem-solving skills. The quality of our students' lives as 21st century citizens demands that they develop scientific dispositions and habits of mind to contribute to a better world. Chesterfield County Public Schools offers two science pathway opportunities for middle school students.  We believe that all students can be successful in either pathway and therefore, all students are eligible to take either pathway.  

NOTE: Physical Science, Science Systems 2 and Earth Science  have an SOL end-of-course test.  The Physical Science and Science Systems 2 SOL test covers 3 years of science content; the Earth Science  SOL test covers 1 year of content.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What’s the difference in the two pathways?

  • Students in the standard pathway explore concepts and build a foundation of understanding in each content science area over the course of three years.  Whereas, the accelerated pathway will include essential content knowledge and understandings of three years of  science content in the first two years of study, followed by one year of study in Earth Science. The main difference in the two pathways of study is the depth of the content.  To meet high school graduation requirements, all students, regardless of their middle school pathway will still have access to an array of rigorous  high school science curricula including: earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics.

• Is Earth Science a required course in high school?

  • Earth Science is NOT a required course of study in high school. However, it is the most common course taken by 9th grade students, and it is a prerequisite for many upper level science courses. Earth Science is one of the four disciplines of science that is recommended for all students to  have a foundation of science knowledge in their high school experience. 

• What is the benefit of taking the accelerated pathway?

  • The  accelerated pathway of study will provide the student with the opportunity to earn a science verified credit prior to entering  high school, and it will open the door to advanced STEM courses  later in the student's high school career.   

• Can I switch to a different pathway after my 6th grade year?

  • Your thoughtful selection is important as it sets your student’s schedule for the entire upcoming school year. While changing pathways during the middle school year is discouraged, placement adjustments can be made for the 7th grade year ONLY.  These changes will result in your student missing content where they will  need to work  independently to master the content missed due to a pathway change.   

How do I know which pathway is best for ME?

Standard Pathway Students are:

• learners who prefer more time to understand and explore content

• not interested in taking a high school level course  in middle school  (earth science)

Accelerated Pathway Students are:

• independent, self-directed learners

• critical thinker who enjoying learning new content at an accelerated pace

• comfortable with learning and applying knowledge to new things

• interested in completing a high school course in middle school (earth science)