What are Florida's proposed science standards?

Draft K-12 science standards released September 25, 2026. Parents, teachers, and scientists who reviewed them say they lack depth on evolution and climate change compared with the 2008 standards they would replace.

Can the public comment on them?

Yes. The Florida Department of Education opened public comment on its website and scheduled meetings after the September 2026 release. Check the department's site for the current comment window.

Are the standards final?

No. As of fall 2026 they are proposed drafts under public review, not adopted standards.

Teaching standards

Florida's Proposed Science Standards (2026): What Is Happening

Q: What did the 2008 standards say?

The current standards, adopted in 2008, call evolution one of science's big ideas and insist it must be taught. The draft is seen as a step back from that position.

Florida released draft K-12 science standards on September 25, 2026. Teachers and parents who reviewed them say evolution and climate change get short shrift. Public comment is open now.

Check your state. Teaching standards and education policies change often and vary by state and district. Always confirm dates, requirements, and details with your state department of education or district office. This site is for general information, not professional or legal advice.

What the draft does

The proposed standards would replace the 2008 standards. At a state education department forum in late September 2026, nearly 300 people attended virtually and nearly all 29 speakers criticized the draft. Reviewers described it as lacking depth, skirting evolution and climate change, and a disservice to students in a state directly threatened by environmental change.

What the current standards say

Florida's 2008 science standards call evolution one of science's big ideas and insist it must be taught. Retired biology teachers testifying at the forum called evolution the fundamental unifying process of biology and said leaving it out would be ideology posing as biology.

What happens next

Public comment is open on the Florida Department of Education website, plus scheduled public meetings.
The standards are not final. Adoption would follow the comment period and any revisions.
Florida teachers should keep teaching to the 2008 standards until new ones are formally adopted.

Sources

Florida Department of Education draft science standards (released Sept 25, 2026)
Orlando Sentinel reporting on the September 2026 public forum

Compare with what other states use for science.