No matter what you’ve read or heard about the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education in Florida’s schools, the reality is that it’s been a tough six years for the idea that every Florida K-12 student should be scientifically literate.
The science literacy cause reached its highest point on Feb. 19, 2008 — the day the State Board of Education voted 4-3 to adopt new science standards that had been developed over the previous months by scientists and science educators. While the standards dealt with a wide range of topics in life, physical and Earth/space science, it was the clearly stated requirement to teach biological evolution that attracted the most attention.
But it seemed to those of us who worked on the standards-writing committee that the standards would improve the learning of chemistry, physics, geology, meteorology and space science as well as biology. We were full of optimism and eager to be involved as Florida blazed a new trail in science literacy.