6 things to know about quality K–12 science education in July 2026
1
The State of K–8 Science Curriculum: Trends, Gaps, and the Road Ahead The Center for Education Market Dynamics recently released a report describing the state of the K–8 science curriculum market. The findings shared include most commonly selected science programs, their alignment with the NGSS according to an independent review by EdReports, and what these purchasing trends mean for the field. See the report here.
2
New STEM Teaching Tool: What Concerns Should we be Discussing About Using AI in Education?
STEM Teaching Tool #109 outlines thirteen important considerations related to the use of AI in education. These considerations are organized into several categories: overarching concerns about the AI political economy and social power; harms that occur during AI model development and training, and harms that occur during use by students, teachers, and educational leaders. See the practice brief here.
3
Status of the Field of Discipline-Based Education Research: Proceedings of a Workshop 2026
A recent National Academies convening explored discipline-based education research, which examines teaching and learning in STEM disciplines by looking at both research specific to that discipline alongside more general evidence about human cognition and learning. These conversations about the state of the research field give a preview of upcoming innovations in educational practice. See the report here.
4
Prompts or Protocol: Supporting Elementary Science Teacher Candidates to Notice Students' Resources During Video Analysis A recent Journal of Research in Science Teaching study compares two approaches to help teachers develop more asset-oriented mindsets. The study explores ways of structuring video-based discussions in an elementary science education methods course: an openended, facilitator-led format versus a teacher-candidate-led protocol with targeted sentence frames. The authors' findings suggest that leaders who support pre-service or in-service teachers can benefit from using well-designed protocols, resulting in more equityoriented teacher mindsets. Read the article here.
5
Stop Misdiagnosing Resistance: Five Catalyst Mindsets Every Instructional Coach Needs
On a recent episode of SREB’s Making Schools Work podcast, author and education consultant Becca Silver
discusses the common request from instructional coaches to “help with
resistant teachers.” She unpacks the root causes underlying this issue and shares productive steps coaches can take to support teachers. This conversation
connects to the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, which acknowledges that resistance is a normal reaction to change. Listen to the podcast here.
6
ICYMI: NGSS District Implementation Indicators
This document outlines 13 important indicators of successful NGSS implementation at the district level, illustrating what transition to the NGSS looks like in three broad areas: Foundational Strategies, Essential Strategies, and Results. Each indicator is written as a declarative statement that describes a concrete, high-level outcome from one area of science standards implementation and includes examples of actions districts can take to make progress and use to monitor growth. See the resource here.
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