• standards should be eliminated. For instance, students should have opportunities to learn science in personal and social perspectives and to learn about the history and nature of science, as well as to learn subject matter, in the school science program.

• No standards should be eliminated from a category. For instance, "biological evolution" cannot be eliminated from the life science standards.

• Science content can be added. The connections, depth, detail, and selection of topics can be enriched and varied as appropriate for individual students and school science

• programs. However, addition of content must not prevent the learning of fundamental concepts by all students.

• The content standards must be used in the context of the standards on teaching and assessment. Using the standards with traditional teaching and assessment strategies defeats the intentions of the National Science Education Standards.

As science advances, the content standards might change, but the conceptual organization will continue to provide students with knowledge, understanding, and abilities that will improve their scientific literacy.