Florida Proposed New Science Education Standards
The state released an updated K-12 framework that replaces prior terminology and refines instructional benchmarks.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Environmental
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Should your local schools be required to teach established scientific theories like evolution and climate change?
The Florida Department of Education released proposed K-12 science standards, marking the first major update since the current framework was adopted in 2008. These standards remove the term climate change in favor of anthropogenic activities and omit the term evolution from high school documentation.
Why it matters
The changes align state educational materials with a 2024 law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis that removed climate change language from state statutes. The department aims to pivot toward content-rich instruction that focuses on specific facts while excluding what it characterizes as trendy themes.
The proposed high school science standards consist of nearly 1,000 benchmarks. These guidelines were drafted by an 18-member committee composed primarily of school district employees and a single professor.
The players
Florida Department of Education
The state agency responsible for overseeing public school curriculum, funding, and educational policy implementation.
Ron DeSantis
The current Governor of Florida who signed legislation in 2024 that removed climate change terminology from state statutes.
The details
The standards were developed by an 18-member committee tasked with creating a curriculum focused on factual instruction. The new framework systematically replaces the phrase climate change with anthropogenic activities, which refers to environmental changes caused by human action. The omission of the word evolution from the high school standards represents a shift from the previous 2008 curriculum.
Timeline
2008: Current science standards were adopted.
2024: Governor signed a bill removing climate change from state law.
September 25, 2026: The Department of Education released proposed science standards.
September 29, 2026: A public comment session was held in Hillsborough County.
September 30, 2026: A virtual public comment session was held.
The Tech Race
This framework aligns pedagogical materials with the 2024 Florida law removing climate change from state statutes. It represents a shift in state-level educational content standards relative to the version adopted in 2008.
Parents and educators can provide input on the proposed standards through the Department of Education website or upcoming public meetings. These changes will redefine the specific benchmarks required for science instruction across all Florida public school districts.
The takeaway
The proposed standards mark a departure from the 2008 framework by removing references to climate change and evolution. Interested stakeholders should monitor the Department of Education website for updates regarding the finalized implementation timeline.
Further reading
For broader context on state policy impacts, visit the Florida Environmental section.
Live Poll
Should your local schools be required to teach established scientific theories like evolution and climate change?
