ARS Technica – John Timmer
“In the US, each state sets its own expectations of what the public schools in that state should accomplish. These expectations take the form of education standards, which describe both the subjects that should be introduced at each grade level and what specific material the students should learn within them. Standardized tests in these states are typically based on these education standards as well. Given their central role in education, getting these standards right is essential. Unfortunately, it’s also incredibly challenging, and states haven’t always been up to the task. In particular with the sciences, this challenge is compounded. A steady flow of legislators have attempted to insert their personal opinions into the educational process—opinions about things like the age of the Universe and the role of evolution in shaping life on Earth.”(more)