5 things to know about quality K–12 science education in September 2025
1 Dig Into Science Learning Modules
TheACESSEProjectrecentlyreleaseda setoflearningmodulesaboutbest practicesinscienceeducation.Each moduleisdesignedforavarietyof audiencesandtopicsincludethreedimensionallearning,supportingscience forall,andstudentsense-making.
Seetheonlinelearningmoduleshere
2
Making Time for Science in Kindergarten Could Have a Big Payoff
“A newmeta-analysis from Lynch and her colleagues at the University of Connecticut, the University of Michigan, and Michigan State University examines the effect of dedicating more time and resources to science instruction in grades P–1 — and finds that introducing dedicated science curriculum and training for teachers improved students’ scores on both standardized assessments of science achievement in these grades and researcher-developed tests, when compared with students in business-asusual classrooms.”
See the EducationWeek article here and the meta-analysis referenced here
3
Building State Capacity and Strategies to Promote High-Quality Instructional Materials: Implementation and Outcomes of the High-Quality Instructional Materials and Professional Development Network
AnewRANDCorporationresearchreportdescribeshowCCSSO'sHigh-Quality InstructionalMaterialsandProfessionalDevelopment(IMPD)Networksupports policymakersinmemberstates.Drawingoninterviews,observations,documentreviews, andsurveys,thestudyhighlightshowIMPDactivitieshaveledtopolicydevelopment, enhancedpolicymakingcapacity,andincreasedteacheruseofHQIMandparticipationin high-qualityprofessionallearning.
Seethereporthere
OnSeptember9th,theNational AssessmentGoverningBoardreleased the2024reportcardsforgrade8science. Thereportcardsincludenationalscience scoresoverall,alongwithtrendsinthree contentareas:PhysicalScience,Life Science,andEarthandSpaceSciences. Sciencescoresdeclinedandarelowest forallstudentssince2009,withthe exceptionofmulti-linguallearners,whose scoresincreasedanaverageof6points.
SeeNAEPresultreports here andan overviewofresultshere.
5
ICYMI: What Leaders Need to Know about Science Assessment Recording
Inthiswebinar,WestEdexpertsexploredwhatittakesforinterimassessmentstodomore thanmeasurestudentknowledge.Learnhowinnovativescienceassessmentsand assessmentpracticeshelpeducatorsbetterimplementinstructionalmaterials,improve instruction,andbooststudentmotivationandengagement.
Viewthewebinarrecordinghere
