Reports on the development and use of an open-ended assessment instrument to determine elementary school teachers' reasons for not teaching science. These reasons were hypothesized to be related to Katz's functions: (1) utilitarian; (2) knowledge; (3) value-expressive; and (4) ego-defensive. In the sample of 449 teachers, 20 per cent of the sample were using science course improvement project (SCIP) materials. Analysis revealed all of Katz's functions except ego-defensive reasons were provided by teachers. (CP)