After a public hearing Thursday evening to discuss a possible change in the way science courses are taught in public schools, the Clay County School Board voted unanimously to support a change in the state science curriculum that would use the word evolution in the classroom.

The state Board of Education will scheduled to vote Feb. 19 on the change, which would require more in-depth teaching of evolution and other scientific topics while setting specific benchmarks for students to meet.

Mary Jane Tappen, executive director of the Florida Office for Math and Science, said religion is not appropriate for a science curriculum, noting that some schools teach Bible classes in their humanities programs.

Advocates said the standard changes are needed to improve Florida's poor performance in science and prepare students to compete on a global level. The new standards are based on those in other states and nations considered leaders in teaching science.

The present standards have been criticized for being "a mile wide and an inch deep," covering too many topics for students to fully understand them, education officials say. The new ones would be narrower but deeper.

The St. Johns and Baker County school boards have passed resolutions urging the state to allow evolution to be taught as theory, not as fact. Similar resolutions are pending in Nassau and Putnam counties.