Implementation
Results
Las Cruces Public Schools (LCPS) is located 45 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. With more than 23,000 students, it is the second-largest district in New Mexico. More than 68% of students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, and more than 15% of students are English learners.
When the state of New Mexico adopted new science standards in 2018, LCPS set out to find a new elementary science curriculum. The district formed a Textbook/Instructional Material Review Team that evaluated all materials. The team then sent on its top choices for review in the schools. After tabulating all the results, LCPS identified one curriculum that met its needs: STEMscopes Science.
STEMscopes Science combines a comprehensive digital curriculum with supplemental print materials and ready-made exploration kits. Each unit or “scope” in the curriculum is developed around the research-based 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) model of instruction, with additional phases for Intervention and Acceleration.
According to Associate Director of Teaching and Learning for K-12 Science Stephanie Hofacket, Ph.D., STEMscopes Science does a number of things well to support science learning in LCPS’s elementary classrooms.
“It provides an instructional resource that aligns to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS),” she said. “It uses the 5E inquiry-based framework, bases lessons on phenomena, and supports culturally and linguistically relevant teaching practices for science education. The accessibility tools, diversity in language acquisition strategies, ease of accessing the English and Spanish versions, and consistency across grade levels have been a huge benefit for not only our students, but also in providing the support for teachers to meet the needs of all students.”
LCPS began using STEMscopes Science in 2019 in grades K-5. Throughout the fall and winter, teachers utilized the STEMscopes platform and materials to encourage students to think like scientists and engage them in inquiry-based and hands-on learning experiences.
In early 2020, things took an unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. In March, LCPS closed its schools, and students learned remotely for nearly two years.
During that time, teachers continued to provide high-quality science instruction with STEMscopes Science, and LCPS supported its teachers and students every step of the way.
“We began by collaborating with a team of grade-level teachers to devise the structures for remote learning,” said Hofacket. “We continued on with their ideas and plans, and created modules on our learning management system. The Canvas LMS modules followed the 5E structure, but the Explore component was modified to have activities that only required items found around the house for students to utilize, and most assignments were assigned digitally to students via the STEMscopes platform.”
In addition, the district’s elementary science content specialist worked one-on-one with teachers who requested support and held four online professional development sessions each week as well as office hours for support. “Our team was responsive to all needs with immediate action,” said Hofacket.
During the pandemic, state testing was paused. Then in 2021-22, a new statewide summative assessment was introduced: the New Mexico Assessment of Science Readiness (NM-ASR).
The NM-ASR is designed to measure whether students are on track to be ready for college or career, as defined by the state, by showing they have mastered the New Mexico science standards. The standards require integration of science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts to explain phenomena and solve problems.
According to LCPS teachers, STEMscopes was helpful in preparing for the new assessment, as was the support they received in professional learning communities (PLCs).
LCPS’s school passing rates in grade five also confirm what teachers are seeing in the classroom. Relative to the state of New Mexico, LCPS is staying one step ahead, with numerically higher passing rates — approximately 1 percentage point higher each year — on both the 2022 and 2023 NM-ASR assessments.
Since LCPS is one of the largest, most diverse urban districts in New Mexico, an additional study was conducted to examine the impact more closely. In this analysis, the 22 Las Cruces elementary schools that included fifth grade were matched to schools in two other urban districts with similar demographics. Results from the 2023 NM-ASR showed that Las Cruces schools, on average, had scored 8.2 percentage points higher relative to other similar urban New Mexico elementary schools. That represents a 31% difference in scores on the 2023 NM-ASR compared to similar schools that did not have STEMscopes Science.
“We’ve heard time and time again that planning for science instruction is time-consuming. However, with the continuity across grade levels and multiple instructional strategies and options that STEMscopes has for teachers, they have found once they begin to use the plans and resources, the next year is so much easier,” said Hofacket.
In addition to making things easier for teachers year over year, STEMscopes is also helping students get off to a strong start on their science learning journey.
“My hope is that elementary administrators continue to see the value of science education and the importance of establishing strong foundations in science in order to create confident and curious learners in proceeding grade levels and informed citizens of science in our communities,” said Hofacket.
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