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Standards Review

If you have trouble accessing the files on this page, please contact the Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support at 850-245-0423.

Science Standards Review Public Comment: September – October 2026

Introduction

The Florida K-12 Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for Science establish a coherent and vertically aligned learning framework for science education that prepares students to understand the natural world, think critically about scientific ideas, solve problems, evaluate evidence, and apply scientific knowledge in meaningful ways. The standards are designed to support student learning by developing scientifically literate individuals who can investigate phenomena, communicate scientific understanding, make informed decisions based on evidence, and continue learning throughout their lives.

At their core, the purpose of Florida’s K-12 B.E.S.T. Standards for Science is to support student learning. The standards establish clear expectations for what students should know, understand, and be able to do at each grade level while providing educators with a coherent framework for benchmarks-aligned, high-quality instruction. Through this progression, students build scientific knowledge, develop reasoning skills, and learn to apply their understanding to explain phenomena, analyze evidence, and solve problems. Students also develop systems thinking by identifying components, boundaries, interactions, inputs, outputs, and feedback within natural and human-made systems.

Science education in Florida emphasizes both disciplinary knowledge and scientific thinking. Students progressively develop understanding of energy, matter, force and motion; planet Earth and space; and life sciences while engaging in the practices used by scientists and engineers to investigate questions, analyze evidence, construct explanations, develop models, evaluate solutions, and communicate findings. Across all grade levels, students learn that scientific knowledge is built through observation, investigation, reasoning, collaboration, innovation, and continual refinement based on evidence.

To strengthen relevance and engagement, the Florida K-12 B.E.S.T. Standards for Science intentionally incorporate Florida-specific examples, phenomena, organisms, ecosystems, industries, technologies, agricultural systems, and natural resources whenever those contexts support the scientific concepts being taught. Students encounter connections to Florida’s environments, agricultural systems, forests, wetlands, springs, rivers, estuaries, coastal regions, fisheries, space industry, weather patterns, energy resources, and communities throughout their K-12 science experience. These examples are not separate content expectations, but rather meaningful contexts that help students apply scientific knowledge to authentic situations while building understanding of Florida’s environmental, economic, and cultural significance. By embedding Florida-based contexts throughout the standards, students develop deeper connections between scientific concepts and the natural systems, resources, and industries that shape their state.

Foreword

In this foreword you will find additional information on the goals, organization, and guiding principles for Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards for K-12 Science (PDF).

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline (PDF)

Refer to this document simultaneously during your review of the standards and benchmarks for each of the grade bands.

Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Standards for Kindergarten – Grade 12

Kindergarten – Grade 5 B.E.S.T. Standards and Benchmarks for Science (6 FORMS)

There are 6 FORMS to review for the B.E.S.T. Standards for Science for K-5.

  1. Begin your review with the Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS) first. The STARS will be included in all K-12 Science courses.
  2. Access the tables and refer to them during the standards review. The review of the tables and standards will be done simultaneously.
    1. The tables will be referred to in Parts 1-4 of the Standards Review for each grade band.
    2. There will be 4 parts of the K-5 Science Standards and Benchmarks.
      1. Part 1 is in the discipline of Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion
      2. Part 2 is in the discipline of Planet Earth and Space
      3. Parts 3 and 4 are in the discipline of Life.
  3. NOTE: You will be given an opportunity at the end of Part 4 to review additional grade bands.

BEGIN YOUR REVIEW HERE:

K-12 STARS: Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards

K-12 Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS)

K-5 Part 1: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

K-5 PART 1: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Energy
  • The Science of Matter
  • The Science of Force and Motion

K-5 Part 2: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks

K-5 PART 2: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Planet Earth
  • The Science of Space

K-5 Part 3: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 1 of 2)

K-5 PART 3: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 1 of 2)

K-5 Part 4: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 2 of 2)

K-5 PART 4: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 2 of 2)

  • The Science of Human Body
  • The Science of Nutrition
  • The Science of Fungi
  • The Science of Microorganisms

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline

Grade 6–8 B.E.S.T. Standards and Benchmarks for Science (6 FORMS)

There are 6 FORMS to review for the B.E.S.T. Standards for Science for 6-8.

  1. Begin your review with the Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS) first. The STARS will be included in all K-12 Science courses.
  2. Access the tables and refer to them during the standards review. The review of the tables and standards will be done simultaneously.
    1. The tables will be referred to in Parts 1-4 of the Standards Review for each grade band.
    2. There will be 4 parts of the 6-8 Science Standards and Benchmarks.
      1. Part 1 is in the discipline of Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion
      2. Part 2 is in the discipline of Planet Earth and Space
      3. Parts 3 and 4 are in the discipline of Life.
  3. NOTE: You will be given an opportunity at the end of Part 4 to review additional grade bands.

BEGIN YOUR REVIEW HERE:

K-12 STARS: Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards

K-12 Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS)

6-8 PART 1: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Energy
  • The Science of Matter
  • The Science of Force and Motion

6-8 PART 2: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Planet Earth
  • The Science of Space

6-8 PART 3: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 1 of 2)

  • The Science of Life
  • The Science of Cell Biology
  • The Science of Plants
  • The Science of Animals

6-8 PART 4: Life Standards and Benchmarks (part 2 of 2)

  • The Science of Human Body
  • The Science of Nutrition
  • The Science of Fungi
  • The Science of Microorganisms
  • Applying the Science of Life

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline

Grade 9–12 B.E.S.T. Standards and Benchmarks for Science (18 FORMS)

There are 18 FORMS to review for the B.E.S.T. Standards for Science for 9-12.

  1. Begin your review with the Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS) first. The STARS will be included in all K-12 Science courses.
  2. Access the tables and refer to them during the standards review. The review of the tables and standards will be done simultaneously.
    1. The tables will be referred to in Parts 1-16 of the Standards Review for each grade band.
    2. There will be 16 parts of the 9-12 Science Standards and Benchmarks.
      1. Parts 1-3 are in the discipline of Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion
      2. Parts 4-5 are in the discipline of Planet Earth and Space
      3. Parts 6-16 are in the discipline of Life.
  3. NOTE: You will be given an opportunity at the end of Part 16 to review additional grade bands.

BEGIN YOUR REVIEW HERE:

K-12 STARS: Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards

K-12 Scientific Thinking and Reasoning Standards (STARS)

9-12 Parts 1-3: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks:

9-12 PART 1: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Energy
  • The Science of Energy in Earth Systems
  • The Science of Energy in Space Systems

9-12 PART 2: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Energy in Living Systems
  • The Science of Matter

9-12 PART 3: Energy, Matter, and Force and Motion Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Force and Motion

9-12 Parts 4-5: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks:

9-12 PART 4: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Planet Earth

9-12 PART 5: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks

  • The Science of Space

9-12 Parts 6-16: Planet Earth and Space Standards and Benchmarks:

9-12 PART 6: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Life

9-12 PART 7: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Cell Biology

9-12 PART 8: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Plants (part 1 of 2)

9-12 PART 9: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Plants (part 2 of 2)

9-12 PART 10: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Animals (part 1 of 3)

9-12 PART 11: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Animals (part 2 of 3)

9-12 PART 12: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Animals (part 3 of 3)

9-12 PART 13: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Human Body and the Science of Nutrition

9-12 PART 14: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Fungi

9-12 PART 15: Life Standards and Benchmarks, The Science of Microorganisms

9-12 PART 16: Life Standards and Benchmarks, Applying the Science of Life

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline

K-12 TABLES: Mathematics Skills, Modeling Skills, Laboratory Practices, and a Timeline

Standards Under Review – Fall 2026

Standards Under Review – Spring 2023

A public workshop will be held Friday, April 7, at 1:00 pm Eastern. Details available at https://web02.fldoe.org/rules/Default. Comments can also be submitted on that webpage.

Standards Under Review – Spring 2021

Memo to School Districts May 28, 2021 (PDF)
Memo to School Districts March 26, 2021 (PDF)

2021 Standards Listening Tour

Listening Tour Presentation (PDF)

Tuesday, June 1 – Miami-Dade County

Thursday, June 3 – Osceola County

Wednesday, June 9 – Baker County

Rule Development Workshop on June 2, 2021, at 11:30 am EDT

Rule Development Workshop on April 9, 2021, at 11:00 am EDT

Proposed Standards for July 2021 State Board of Education Meeting

English Language Arts & Mathematics Standards Review

For more information about professional development for ELA, please visit the Just Read Florida! website.

For more information about professional development for mathematics, please visit the Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support mathematics website.

Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards Benchmarks for Excelllent Student Thinking Fast Facts Our Task Eliminate Common Core Create a roadmap to #1 Standards in the U.S. Include FL parents and teachers in the process Increase the quality of curriculum Streamline testing Prioritize civics Outline pathway for Florida to become the most literate state in the nation The Results Eliminated Common Core Content-rich Back-to-basics building a foundation at early grades Understandable for teachers, parents and students Created by Florida experts including 80+ FL-based teacher & stakeholder groups Flexibility for teachers with a focus on great content Improves rigor across all grades Developmentally appropriate course content Actionable solutions for the reduction of testing Concise standards to set clear expectations for students, teachers and parents Clear expectations for progression year to year through great course alignment First in nation with civics booklist in ELA standards 100,000 Reviews of current & draft standards 80+ Combined years of experience of consulting teacher experts 1,510 Virtual & 11 in-person meetings with FL expert groups 154 More than 80 FL-based teacher and stakeholder groups participated in review 9 Public meetings across Florida to collect feedback Math Ends “Confusing/Crazy Math” that was a roadblock for parents to help students at home Flexibility given to students to show their unique “strategy” for problem-solving Focus on correct ANSWER, not only the method Balanced emphasis on skills vs. concepts will help struggling students catch up Financial Literacy added throughout high school Moves mastery of basic whole number arithmetic from 6th to 5th grade Full glossary to give teachers and parents a comprehensive understanding Clearer indications of how different topics connect within and from grade to grade Includes real-world context to make math more valuable to overall education ELA First in nation with integrated booklist across all grades Framing learning around classic literature and primary source materials Students will learn from every major literary period Civic literacy embedded in every grade Moves use of rhetoric and debate from 9th to 6th grade Benchmarks specifically for secondary students reading below grade level Consistent vocabulary so parents and teachers know what’s being asked of students Includes appendix and full glossary to help teachers and parents improve student fluency and understanding Next Steps 2020-2021 The FL State Board of Education will adopt the package all-in-one and Governor’s proposed budget includes $3 million to support teachers. 2021-2022 ELA curriculum will be updated 2022-2023 Math curriculum will be updated & Assessments will be complete

On January 31, 2019, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 19-32, outlining a path for Florida to improve its education system by eliminating Common Core and paving the way for Florida students to receive a world-class education to prepare them for jobs of the future.

Executive Order 19-32 directs Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to comprehensively review the academic standards for Florida’s Kindergarten through grade twelve students and provide recommended revisions to Governor DeSantis. The recommendations shall:

  • Articulate how Florida will eliminate Common Core (Florida Standards) and ensure we return to the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic;
  • Provide a roadmap to make Florida’s standards number one in the nation;
  • Reflect Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s consultation with relevant stakeholders to include parents and teachers;
  • Deem how to increase the quality of instructional curriculum;
  • Suggest innovative ways to streamline testing;
  • Identify opportunities to equip high school graduates with sufficient knowledge of America’s civics, particularly the principles reflected in the United States Constitution, so as to be capable of discharging the responsibilities associated with American citizenship; and
  • Outline a pathway for Florida to be the most literate state in the nation.

Standards Review Timeline Through April 2020 (PDF)

Graph showing Florida’s Transition Timeline. With three columns and five rows. Columns: 1. 2020-2021 2. 2021-2022 3. 2022-2023 Rows: 1. Professional Development 2. Standards 3. Instructional Materials Adoption Process 4. Curriculum Implementation 5. Statewide Assessment Where column 1. 2020-2021 meets with row 1. Professional Development—Begins for ELA and Math Where column 1. 2020-2021 meets with row 2. Standards—Current ELA and Math Where column 1. 2020-2021 meets with row 3. Instructional Materials Adoption Process—K-12 ELA Where column 1. 2020-2021 meets with row 4. Curriculum Implementation—Current ELA and Math* Where column 1. 2020-2021 meets with row 5. Statewide Assessments—Current ELA and Math Where column 2. 2021-2022 meets with row 1. Professional Development—Continues for ELA and Math Where column 2. 2021-2022 meets with row 2. Standards—New K-2 ELA, Current 3-12 ELA, Current K-12 Math Where column 2. 2021-2022 meets with row 3. Instructional Materials Adoption Process—K-12 Math Where column 2. 2021-2022 meets with row 4. Curriculum Implementation—New K-2 ELA, Current ELA*, Current K-12 Math* Where column 2. 2021-2022 meets with row 5. Statewide Assessments—Current ELA and Math Where column 3. 2022-2023 meets with row 1. Professional Development—Continues for ELA and Math Where column 3. 2022-2023 meets with row 2. Standard—New ELA and Math Where column 3. 2022-2023 meets with row 3. Instructional Materials Adoption Process—K-12 Social Studies Where column 3. 2022-2023 meets with row 4. Curriculum Implementation—New ELA and Math Where column 3. 2022-2023 meets with row 5. Statewide Assessments—New ELA and Math * Recommended since current statewide assessments still in place, but this is a district decision.

Presentations & Communications

  • Chancellor Jacob Oliva Presentation to School Districts - February 13, 2019 (PDF)
    • Presentations also made to:
      • Florida Standards Academy - February 20, 2019
      • Secondary CTE Directors State Meeting - February 20, 2019
      • Florida Philanthropic Network - February 26, 2019
      • Panhandle Area Education Consortium - February 26, 2019
      • Impact Florida - February 28, 2019
      • ESOL, Title III, and World Languages district staff - February 28, 2019
      • Assessment Content Advisory Committee – February 28, 2019
      • Florida Association of Colleges of Teacher Education – March 1, 2019
      • East Coast Technical Assistance Center – March 1, 2019
      • STEMposium content developers – March 4, 2019
      • Consortium of Florida Education Foundations - March 6, 2019
      • Florida Association of District School Superintendents - March 15, 2019
      • Florida PTA - March 25, 2019
      • Real Talk Coalition - March 25, 2019
      • Florida Children and Youth Cabinet - March 25, 2019
      • Hamilton County School Board - March 26, 2019
      • University of Central Florida College of Education Doctoral Students - March 27, 2019
      • Leadership Bay - March 27, 2019
      • Leadership Florida Education Class IV - March 28, 2019
      • JaxUSA Regional Partner Forum - April 5, 2019
      • Florida Philanthropic Network - April 16, 2019
      • High Impact Teacher Corps Graduation - May 9, 2019
      • FASFEPA - May 15, 2019
      • FOIL - May 15, 2019
      • STEMposium facilitators - May 24, 2019
      • Consortium of Florida Education Foundation - June 12, 2019
      • FSBA/FADSS Joint Conference - June 13, 2019
      • FSU Learning Systems Institute Access and Equity Conference - June 14, 2019
      • NEFEC Summer Leadership Conference - July 9, 2019
      • PAEC Leadership Conference - July 23, 2019
      • School Improvement Summer Academy - July 24, 2019
      • School Improvement North Area Academy - July 31, 2019
      • Annual Assessment and Accountability Meeting - August 28, 2019
  • Memo to School Districts February 15, 2019 (PDF)
  • Memo to School Districts April 5, 2019 (PDF)
  • Press Release April 8, 2019
  • Stakeholder Email May 31, 2019 (Word)
  • Stakeholder Email August 12, 2019 (Word)
  • Stakeholder Email September 20, 2019 (Word)
  • Florida Standards Listening Tour (PDF)
    • October 7, 2019, Sebring Middle School
    • October 8, 2019, Winter Springs High School
    • October 10, 2019, Alachua County School District Office
    • October 14, 2019, John I. Leonard High School
    • October 16, 2019, Collier County School District Office
    • October 17, 2019, Jefferson High School
    • October 21, 2019, Liberty Pines Academy
    • October 22, 2019, Hamilton County High School
    • October 23, 2019, Walton High School
  • Press Release/Stakeholder Email January 24, 2020
  • Memo to School Districts and Stakeholders January 31, 2020
  • Press Release February 7

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