Many States Receive 'D' or 'F' in Review of Science Standards

A new review offers a "bleak picture" of the state of state science standards across the nation, with just over half earning a grade of D or F.

Only California and the District of Columbia were given a solid A, while four states were handed an A-minus, according to the review by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

The Fordham report , issued last week, focuses on two main areas: "content and rigor," and "clarity and specificity." It argues, for instance, that many states' standards are "so vague as to be meaningless." The review also contends that state standards often undermine...