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April State Board News

Science Standards - The Beat Goes On
Kansas Board of Regents Not Available
In other action

Science Standards - The Beat Goes On

Following 3 hours and 20 minutes of presentations and discussions, the State Board received the 2nd draft of science standards from the Kansas Science Standards Committee and the minority report response to Draft 2.

According to Steve Case and Carol Williamson, co-chairs of the Committee, there are 6 major changes in the second draft:

1. The grade spans of the standards are K-4, 5-7 and 8-12. In the previous draft the upper spans were 5-8 and 9-12.

2. There are additional teacher notes included.

3. There is better vertical alignment and consistency among and between the standards, including improvements to make the language of the standards more consistent.

4. Glossaries have been included on the teacher notes pages and as a separate section at the end of the standards.

5. Implementation guidelines have been added to offer suggestions for cross-curricular integration of science standards.

6. The final draft will include suggestions for grade-by-grade standards.

Case and Williamson also noted that the Committee voted 16-5 to keep the language on evolution from the 2001 (current) science standards.

The minority report was read by Greg Lassey, a member of the Committee, and supplemented by John Calvert, hired by the minority to represent them. 8 members of the Committee signed the minority report.

Lassey explained that the minority objects to the definition of science included in Draft 2 and to the failure of Draft 2 to include "evidence inconsistent with evolution's critical assumptions and historical narratives."

In later comments, Lassey and Calvert both stated numerous times that these issues are complex, involving science, religion, philosophy and the law, and that it was only right to allow students to see "both sides" of the science debate.

Case and Williamson reiterated that there is no debate within the science community.

Calvert stated that because philosophical naturalism [which he said is the basis for the Committee's definition of science] supports, among other things, atheism and secular humanism, that religion has already been injected into the standards and that other views of origins should also be included.

Janet Waugh, district 1, questioned whether standards relating to study of comparative religions would be a more appropriate place to study competing origin theories.

Board member Sue Gamble, district 2, objected to Calvert's involvement in the discussion, since he is not a member of the Committee.

Connie Morris, district 5, offered a motion, seconded by Iris Van Meter, district 9, welcoming Calvert to speak on behalf of the minority.

Morris' motion failed, 4-3-2. Voting for the motion were Steve Abrams, Kathy Martin, Connie Morris and Iris Van Meter. Voting against the motion were Sue Gamble, Carol Rupe and Janet Waugh. Bill Wagnon and Ken Willard abstained. John Bacon was not present at the meeting due to work responsibilities.

Following the vote, further attempts to direct questions to Calvert were ruled out of order by Steve Abrams, chairman of the State Board.

A subcommittee of the State Board will hold scientific hearings in early May. [See February, 2005 SBN, bottom of this page] At this point, about 2 dozen speakers are scheduled to support the minority report. No speakers have indicated a willingness to participate in the hearings on behalf of the majority viewpoint.

Funding for these hearings, including expenses to bring the speakers to Topeka and verbatim transcripts from a court reporter, will come from the KSDE's general fund budget, as directed by the February SBOE Resolution.

Kansas Board of Regents Not Available

Efforts to schedule a joint meeting between the Kansas Board of Regents and the State Board of Education have been unsuccessful, according to Andy Tompkins, Commissioner of Education, and Steve Abrams, chairman of the State Board.

Overtures have been made to both Reggie Robinson, CEO of the KBOR, and to Dick Bond, chairman of the Regents.

In other action, the State Board:

Heard a presentation from host district USD 308, Hutchinson, on initiatives underway in the district, including pursuit of the Malcolm Baldrige award.

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Peg Dunlap, Director, Instructional Advocacy
Mark Desetti, Director, Legislative and Political Advocacy
Terry Forsyth, Director, Political Action

The KNEA Lobby Team consists of elected leaders and staff. The Lobby Team welcomes member feedback on issues before the Legislature and on this site.