How does Science Assessment Stack Up?

Testing season is upon us once again, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to reflect on science education at the elementary level with regards to testing.  I am not advocating for giving students more tests, but I have to wonder why science is not given the same amount of attention in elementary school as other subjects.  A good barometer for assessing the value of a subject is the assessments associated with it.  In my state, students are assessed in Reading, Language Arts, and Math from Kindergarten on.  Science, however, is only assessed in 5th grade.

Although some teachers will teach science regardless, many other teachers feel the pressure to perform on the subjects they are accountable for and let science fall by the wayside.  Again, I am not suggesting that we test our students in science in more grade levels, I just want to understand why science is not viewed as important in elementary grades. 

It seems rather ironic that science is left out of many elementary classrooms considering the amount of attention given to STEM and STEM fields in the last few years.  The S stands for Science!  And it's listed first!  Yet, science continues to take a back burner in many elementary schools.

In addition to the STEM focus, elementary students are primed to investigate scientific concepts.  They are so inquisitive and curious at this age; science seems like a natural tool to engage and connect with students.  

What do you think?  How can we change the elementary school culture to prioritize science education in elementary classrooms?