HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second consecutive year, school districts that used the STEMscopes™ science curriculum from Accelerate Learning™ showed higher passing rates on the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) fifth grade science test, compared to districts that did not use STEMscopes.
A new study, which included more than 360,000 students, examined the 2015-16 STAAR passing rates for 335 districts that used the STEMscopes curriculum and 829 districts that used a district-created science curriculum or purchased a different science curriculum. The results showed that the use of STEMscopes increased passing rates by 4.1 percent. The average passing rate for the STEMscopes districts was 75.1 percent, while the average passing rate for non-STEMscopes districts was 68.5 percent. The 2015-16 findings are similar to earlier studies, which also showed higher passing rates for districts using STEMscopes.
Analyses were conducted to examine the passing rates for student subgroups as well. Economically disadvantaged, Latino, limited English proficient (LEP), and bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) students also had higher passing rates in STEMscopes districts than in non-STEMscopes districts. These differences ranged from an increase of 2.8 percentage points for Latino students to 4.8 percentage points for economically disadvantaged students.
“What sets STEMscopes apart from other science curriculum products is that it’s made by teachers, for teachers. It has a vast research backbone, continuous teacher input, and a 24/7 professional development portal to help teachers create an inquiry-based student-centric STEM learning environment,” said Vernon Johnson, president and CEO of Accelerate Learning. “It’s very rewarding to see that this comprehensive approach is having a measurable impact on students’ learning and their performance on the STAAR science test. We congratulate all of these districts on their success.”
Developed by Accelerate Learning and Rice University, STEMscopes is the most widely used science curriculum in Texas. STEMscopes is built from the ground up to meet state standards and Next Generation Science Standards. It can be used as a core science curriculum or as a supplementary or enrichment resource in traditional, blended, and 1:1 classroom environments.
For more information, visit http://acceleratelearning.com or call toll-free 800-531-0864.
