Summary

This is an efficacy study on the impact of schools that use STEMscopes Science compared to schools that did not use STEMscopes Science on the 2023 5th grade Next Generation Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). Positive significant effects were found, providing evidence that STEMscopes Science increases schools’ overall average scale scores on the MCAS (2.10% higher) and the schools’ percentile rank relative to non-STEMscopes schools. Other significant effects were found for all tested sub-groups.

Massachusetts schools that used STEMscopes Science for 5th grade were matched to non-STEMscopes schools that used other curricular resources to examine the impact of the STEMscopes 5th grade Science curriculum. The study found that STEMscopes increased school passing rates from 34.7 to 36.8% and significantly increased school average scale scores on the MCAS Science test as well as schools average percentile ranks relative to non-STEMscopes schools (from 40th on average to 44th).  

Among student groups, STEMscopes also had an impact on average MCAS Science scale scores. In fact, all sub-groups tested, including Hispanic/Latinx students, students with low family incomes, females, males, and students with disabilities, had a positive impact. Notably, students with disabilities in STEMscopes scored 2.5 points higher on average than their peers in non-STEMscopes schools.  

This study's findings were similar to those of an independent study conducted by Johns Hopkins University focused on Texas schools. It provides evidence in line with ESSA tier 2 and the What Works Clearinghouse 5.0 Group Design standards with reservations.