Florida leaders are creating new science education standards and they're asking for public input, which can be given during three listening sessions being held through next week.
In November 2024, the state quietly assembled a group of teachers to update its science standards for the first time in nearly 20 years.
This happened shortly after Gov. Ron DeSantis removed "climate change" from state statutes while rolling back clean energy initiatives in May of that same year, and after state education officials began watering down climate facts in textbooks that summer.
ALSO READ: How Florida is challenging climate change in textbooks, while quietly updating its science standards
The current science standards, established in 2008, mandate that high school students are taught about human-caused climate change in a few elective classes (earth, marine, and environmental sciences), while allowing the subject to be covered in other courses.
Now, some education advocates worry the subject will be phased out of the standards during the updating process.
The state’s online review shows the new standards plan to cover "weather and climate," along with hazard mitigation, sustainability, and resilience.
But it's unclear if students will learn how humans, burning heat-trapping fossil fuels into the atmosphere, are warming the planet.
The state is kicking off its Science Standards Listening Tour on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Armwood High School in Seffner from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET.
Then on Wednesday, Sept. 30, there’s a virtual option from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Teams. The final stop is at Walton High School in DeFuniak Springs on Monday, Oct. 5 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. central time.
