The State Board of Education approves new science standards that cast doubt on the theory of evolution. Critics claim the new standards promote creationism.

The board's six-to-four vote was expected for months, and is a victory for intelligent-design advocates who helped draft the standards. They argued the changes would make teaching evolution more balanced and expose students to legitimate scientific questions about Darwin's theory.

Kansas uses the standards to develop statewide achievement tests, while decisions about what's taught in classrooms rest with the state's 300 local school boards.

But some educators fear pressure will increase in some communities to teach less about evolution or more about creationism or intelligent design.

Intelligent design argues that some features of the natural world are best explained as resulting from some form of intelligence.

The new standards contain an explicit disclaimer saying they're not designed to promote intelligent design.