Overview

This study looked at whether STEMscopes Science increased student science achievement in Tennessee. Researchers examined three years of state science test results (TNReady) from elementary schools across Tennessee. They compared schools that used STEMscopes Science to similar schools that did not use the curriculum. There were a few big questions:

• Did STEMscopes Science improve science performance overall?
• Did impacts last over time?
• Did some schools or student populations benefit more than others?

In total, the study included 128 public elementary schools (64 STEMscopes, 64 comparison) across 31 districts, with results tracked from third through fifth grade across three school years.

What did researchers find?

STEMscopes Science was linked to higher science achievement, especially early on./strong>

• In the first year, schools using STEMscopes had significantly higher science passing rates than similar schools not using the program.
• The biggest gains were seen in fourth and fifth grade.

Figure 1. 2023 Main Impact of STEMscopes Science on schools’ percent of students that "Meet or Exceed" grade level on the TNReady Science. Note. Columns with darker shading are significant at p < .05. 

 

These gains were largely maintained over time.

• In the second year, STEMscopes schools continued to significantly outperform comparison schools, particularly in fifth grade.

• By the third year, scores between groups were more similar overall, which researchers interpret as evidence that early gains were maintained over time

 

Some schools saw even stronger benefits over time.

After multiple years of use, STEMscopes had especially strong, significant effects in schools serving higher percentages of Hispanic/Latinx students, with some evidence of stronger effects for schools serving higher percentages of African American/Black students as well. 

• In these schools, school-level science achievement continued to improve or stay stable, while similar non-STEMscopes schools saw declines. 
• This pattern became clearest in the third year of the study. 

Figure 2. Year 3 interaction between STEMscopes and percentage of Hispanic/Latinx students in a school. Note. Gray indicates that TNReady scores were significantly higher in STEMscopes schools with over 22% Hispanic Latinx students relative to non-STEMscopes schools. 

The big takeaway

The curriculum provided an early boost in science performance that was sustained as students moved through elementary grades. Over time, schools serving higher numbers of historically marginalized students—particularly Hispanic/Latinx students—experienced even greater benefits.

In short:

• STEMscopes Science works across many types of schools

• Early gains stick

• Long-term use appears especially beneficial for schools serving students who often face greater educational barriers, math reasoning, and problem-solving