Time runs out on move to reject Oklahoma science education standards

Earlier this month, we reported that Oklahoma legislators threatened to derail the adoption of new science education standards that had been adopted by the state school board. In Oklahoma, rules adopted by the executive branch can be subjected to legislative review, and, in this case, the legislators reviewed the science standards harshly, focusing questions on climate change and other environmental issues.

The full House later passed the bill, but it was originally ignored by the Senate, according to the National Center for Science Education. State Senator Anthony Sykes managed to get a version passed by the full Senate, however, saying that "global warming is the main concern." The Senate version didn't make it back to the House before the session ended.

As a result, the new science standards, which are widely recognized by educators as a major improvement, will go into effect.