What will science standards look like in Wyoming’s K-12 schools?

That’s a question residents, educators and leaders across the state will consider in coming months.

“We’re getting ready to dig into some new Wyoming science standards, and we’re going to be creating something new in some fashion or another,” said Brent Young, chief policy officer for the Wyoming Department of Education, during a regional meeting Tuesday evening in Powell.

The original process to revise the state’s science standards was halted when the 2014 Wyoming Legislature used a budget footnote to end all financial support for the state to consider Next Generation Science Standards. Some lawmakers were concerned about the standards’ stance on global climate change, according to The Associated Press.

The budget footnote was removed during the legislative session earlier this year, allowing the State Board of Education to move forward with its review.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Rep. Nathan Winters, R-Thermopolis, explained why he co-sponsored that footnote last year.

“It was because several years before, Common Core was adopted in the state, and there wasn’t as much input from the public,” he said.

In the years that followed, there was a lot of public concern and questioning of Common Core standards, he said.

Legislators then watched “what seemed to me to be a headlong rush toward the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards by the committee,” he said.

“We felt it would be important to, in some way, bring a halt or at least slow down the process so we could make sure the public had the kind of input we’re getting tonight,” Winters said, thanking attendees for their participation.

Tuesday’s meeting in Powell was the first of five across the state.

About three dozen residents attended the meeting, with several speaking about Wyoming’s science standards.

Cody school board trustee William Struemke said it’s important that standards focus on facts, not politics.

“We don’t have to debate whether human life starts at this point, we don’t need to debate whether or not my Jeep parked out front is killing the earth,” he said. “We should be looking at science standards as a fact-based proposal. As we go forward, I hope that’s what we’re looking at and not trying to mire it down in someone’s political agenda.”

Catharine Buchanan Reinitz, an adjunct professor at Northwest College and substitute teacher, said science education isn’t about answering questions to achieve a certain test score.

“As a scientist and a researcher, it’s about exploration,” she said. “Whatever the standards are, it’s how well do you engage the students?”

Peter Idema, who teaches science at Cody Middle School, said he doesn’t want to see standards that are so micro-managing that they stifle the process.

“I see the process of science as being open and not fixed and finite,” he said. “I see it as an ever-changing process as well. As we openly and curiously experiment and seek for better and new answers, I think it’s important to let that data drive us to maybe make new conclusions.”

Winters said he wants to see Wyoming adopt standards that aim for excellence.

“I want to make sure that our standards remain within the control of the state of Wyoming,” he added.

The Science Standard Review Committee, a group of about 40 people, will meet June 15-16 in Casper to start reviewing the current science standards adopted in 2008, said Laurie Hernandez, supervisor of standards for the Wyoming Department of Education.

In the months to follow, she said the committee will consider the following options:

• Keep the current 2008 science standards as they are written.

• Make revisions to 2008 standards.

• Adopt a set of national standards or another state’s standards.

• Revise or borrow from other sets of standards.

• Create a new set of science standards from multiple documents.

• Create a brand-new set of standards written by the committee.

“We don’t know where that will go until we get the whole group together and start that discussion,” Hernandez said.

She said the entire process of standard review may take from a year to 18 months.

The Wyoming Department of Education serves as a facilitator in the process, but does not create the standards, Hernandez said.

Ultimately, the standards will be reviewed by the State Board of Education and Gov. Matt Mead before they are adopted.

Once adopted, education standards are slated to be reviewed every nine years. Cody science teacher Dean Olenik said he would like to see the standards reviewed sooner than that.

“Science changes at a pace that is difficult to follow in nine years,” he said

Residents will have multiple opportunities to comment before the standards are adopted.

Written and spoken comments received in Powell and at other meetings will be shared with the committee in June.

The Science Standards Review Committee is made up of a diverse group of K-12 educators, parents, professors and community members from across Wyoming, Hernandez said.

“We want to make sure all areas of the state are covered, so we hit the four corners and central area,” she said.

Struemke said he’s glad to see parents involved in the process and committee.

Buchanan Reinitz asked if there was still an opportunity for residents to join the committee.

The committee selection process drew around 120 respondents, and only 20 of the spots were available, Hernandez said. She said the committee openings were advertised for about three weeks online and in press releases this spring, and the selection process is now closed.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Rep. Winters said it appeared participants shared the same objective — excellent science standards.

“The question is, how do we get there?” he said.