secondary levels about evolution, the age of the earth, and the origin of the universe was permitted, but not mandatory, and that those topics would not appear on state standardized tests. However, two years later, following a change in its elected membership, the Board reversed this decision on February 14, 2001, ruling that instruction of all those topics was mandatory and that they would appear on standardized tests. Following another change in membership, on August 9, 2005, the Board of Education approved a draft of science curriculum standards that mandated equal time for evolution and intelligent design. On November 8, 2005, the Board of Education voted 6–4 to allow science students in public schools to hear materials critical of evolution in biology classes, allowing teaching of Intelligent design to be taught in classes. The board, in order to accommodate the teaching of Intelligent Design in biology class, went so far as to redefine the meaning of science to 'no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena.' In response, USD 383 (Manhattan-Ogden) decided to reject the November 2005 standards in a unanimous decision in February 2006, and continues to use the March 9, 2005 standards. On August 1, 2006, the creationist majority on the Board of Education was voted out of office and evolution candidates were given the majority once again. On February 13, 2007, the Board voted 6 to 4 to reject the amended science standards enacted in 2005. The definition of science was once again limited to "the search for natural explanations for what is observed in the universe." See also List of colleges and universities in Kansas List of defunct colleges and universities in Kansas List of unified school districts in Kansas Kansas evolution hearings References Kansas Board of Regents. . External links Kansas Board of Regents Kansas State Department of Education