If the new high-quality-schools lawsuit hinged on Florida science scores alone, it'd probably be a slam dunk.

"Florida students are pretty much last in the nation for science," says a power point presentation that Todd Clark, the Department of Education bureau chief for curriculum and instruction, gave to a statewide education group meeting in Lake Mary this week. (Hat tip to Orlando Sentinel School Zone blog.)

FSU physics professor Paul Cottle, who is a blogging beast when it comes to science instruction in Florida, has already highlighted the sad stats in that power point (go to page 30). But they bear repeating.

* In 2008, Florida students were 49th in average ACT science scores

* In 2008, they ranked 47th in the percentage passing AP science exams

* In 2005, Florida eighth graders ranked 36th on the National Assessment of Educational Progress science test

* In 2009, only 2 percent of fifth graders, 2 percent percent of eighth graders and 1 percent of eleventh graders scored at the highest level on the FCAT science exam

(Image from blogs.discovermagazine.org)