Controversy Surrounds Iowa’s Revised Science Standards
The Iowa state board of education’s decision on May 8, 2025, to adopt revised science standards has sparked a mix of approval and criticism. While some censored language on evolution and climate change was reinstated, the new standards still fall short in adequately addressing these crucial topics.
In 2015, Iowa embraced the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as a Lead State Partner, with the state board voting unanimously to adopt them without significant opposition. Despite attempts by state legislators Sandy Salmon and Skyler Wheeler to block or reverse the adoption, their efforts did not progress past committee stages.
The process of reviewing and revising these standards began as scheduled in 2024, appearing unremarkable until the release of a draft that omitted significant scientific content. Birgitta Meade, a science educator, raised the alarm, noting that references to “biological evolution” and “climate change” were conspicuously absent.
In the revised standards, “biological evolution” was altered to “biological change over time,” and the term “climate change” was replaced with “climate trends.” Additionally, references to the Earth’s age and human environmental impacts were softened or removed. These changes could potentially hinder educators, as I mentioned to KCRG News, saying they might face difficulties due to lack of preparation or fear of community backlash.
The review committee, consisting of 37 educators and scientists from Iowa, did not support these revisions. KCRG News discovered discrepancies between the committee’s draft and the publicly released version. During public forums, committee members clarified that the problematic changes were not part of their original document. The department of education, however, remained silent on the origins of these revisions.
Public forums revealed widespread concern among Iowans, including NCSE members Paul Bartelt and Birgitta Meade, about the quality of science education. A surprising development was a local school board member referencing an NCSE news story to highlight their grievances.
Original Story at ncse.ngo