EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION IN KANSAS: ISSUES CHANGE, CHALLENGES REMAIN

Budget cuts, teacher retirements, and uncertainty over standards and testing provide significant challenges to earth-science education in Kansas. In 1999 and 2005, when the Kansas State Board of Education made changes in the state’s science education standards, Kansas became a battleground in the debate over science education and the teaching of evolution. Those changes included discussions about downplaying the teaching of so-called “macro-evolution” and some concepts of geologic time. With subsequent elections, the Board’s composition shifted; today the Kansas standards are based on the 1996 National Science Education Standards, which reflect mainstream scientific ideas about evolution and definitions of science. In general, State Board of Education elections are less visible and contentious than before. Most school districts include earth science in the K-8 curriculum, and the state science assessments include earth science concepts. Earth science is considered a course that meets the Regents requirements for “qualified admissions” to state universities, so a significant number of large high schools offer earth-science courses. However, K-12 earth science education in the state continues to face serious challenges. Many small high schools do not offer earth science, primarily because of budgetary constraints and a lack of qualified teachers. The current standards do not adequately describe key earth-science concepts, and the emphasis on testing has affected the quality of instruction in lab and field-based sciences, such as geology. In addition, significant cuts were made to K-12 funding during the past several legislative sessions, and many experienced teachers, especially in the sciences, are retiring or nearing retirement. Kansas colleges and universities are producing new earth-science teachers. However, the future of earth science education is uncertain for most Kansas students.