Determining the next steps for adopting standards in the content areas of science, physical education, career and vocational education, and social studies will be the focal point of a State Board of Education meeting scheduled for April 11 at the McMurry Training Center in Casper. A footnote, slipped into the state's budget bill last month, bars the Board from adopting or even continuing to review the proposed Next Generation Science Standards. Lawmakers who lobbied for the measure said the national standards are controversial and flawed. Among other things, they teach evolution and presume that climate change is driven by humans.

During their meeting on March 24, the State Board of Education chose not to reject the Next Generation Science Standards. Board Chairman Ron Micheli said the board, which met via telephone conference for the March meeting, decided to schedule a meeting to discuss the standards face-to-face.

Micheli said the board is “trying to navigate the options available so that we can get the very best standards we can for our children, while operating within the parameters given us by the Legislature.”  He added,  “It would be premature to make decisions until we know what the options are.”

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