Evolution Coverage Improves, Review Finds

State science standards tend to cover evolution more extensively and better than they did nearly a decade ago, but at the same time, “creationist language” has become more common in them, concludes a review of the standards in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The findings of the review by the Oakland, Calif.-based National Center for Science Education are intended to update a similar evaluation of coverage of evolution in science standards in 2000 commissioned by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. The latest review was published this month in the journal Evolution: Education and Outreach .

“Coverage of evolution is better nationwide,” said Anton Mates, a public-information project director for the science education center, whose mission is to keep evolution in the science classroom, and a co-author of the recent review. The study examines science standards approved as...