Gov. Steve Beshear plans to implement the new Kentucky Next Generation Science Standards under his own authority, after a legislative review panel rejected them last week.
That would allow the standards to move forward, but the regulation still could be killed by the full legislature in January.
Spokesman for the governor said in a statement that the governor “views these standards as a critical component in preparing Kentuckians for college and the workforce,” and that they should be implemented despite the action.
Terry Holliday, the state’s education commissioner, issued a statement praising Gov. Beshear.
Members of the review subcommittee said they’d been bombarded by opposition to the standards. They also said they were troubled that some basic scientific concepts weren’t spelled out in the standards.
The science standards were developed by a 26-state consortium, including representatives from Kentucky.
