Florida students could soon be learning science under an entirely new rulebook. The Florida Department of Education is rewriting its K-12 B.E.S.T. Science Standards for the first time in nearly two decades, and this week it wants to hear directly from parents, teachers and scientists about what those changes should look like.
The department announced the statewide effort, called the B.E.S.T. Science Standards Listening Tour, on September 25, according to a Florida Department of Education announcement. As WKMG reports, the department is rewriting the current K-12 science standards and says the overhaul will ensure students learn real science, including knowledge, evidence, inquiry, reason and virtue, rather than ideology. The rewrite will also include updates to health and nutrition standards, per the department's announcement.
What the New Standards Aim to Do
The department says the revised standards are meant to build a sequential, grade-by-grade body of scientific knowledge and prepare students for college-level science, Registered Apprenticeships, industry credentials and technical careers that require scientific competence. The standards emphasize inquiry and evaluating evidence.
Florida Education Commissioner Henry Mack was quoted in the department's September 25 announcement saying students should be taught to read the book of nature. The department has said the new standards are meant to form students who reason rigorously, observe carefully and grow in virtue, according to a department post cited by WKMG.
Florida-Specific Examples Baked Into the Curriculum
The B.E.S.T. Science Standards will incorporate Florida-specific examples, technologies and natural resources when appropriate, focusing on improving students' problem-solving skills. That could mean lessons tied to the state's environments, agricultural systems, forests, wetlands, springs, rivers, estuaries, coastal regions, fisheries, space industry, weather patterns, energy resources and communities, per WKMG's reporting. The department frames these local examples as meaningful contexts for applying scientific knowledge to authentic, real-world situations.
Where and When to Weigh In
The review covers K-12 science standards. Public input sessions are generally scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m., with preregistration starting at 4:30 p.m.
This week's listening tour includes several concrete stops. A session is scheduled at Armwood High School in Hillsborough County today, running from 5 to 7 p.m. local time, per WKMG. A virtual listening tour option is scheduled for tomorrow, September 30. Another in-person session is planned for October 5 at Walton High School in Walton County, also running from 5 to 7 p.m. local time. Residents can choose among the listed sessions.
For now, the rewrite is underway, with the department soliciting feedback. Anyone hoping to shape what Florida's science classrooms look like for the next generation has a narrow window this fall to make their voice heard, whether at Armwood High School, online, or at Walton High School in October.
