KnowAtom School Districts Rank Top in the State of Massachusetts

Schools That Increased Student Achievement During COVID-19 Share Hands-on Science Curriculum

SALEM, Mass., Feb. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KnowAtom announced today two Massachusetts school districts that use the education company's K-8 Next Generation Science Standards curriculum (NGSS) ranked top in the state on the most recent MCAS tests. After a break in state testing due to COVID shutdowns in 2020, students using the KnowAtom curriculum ranked #1 for science among 317 public and charter districts in the state in 2021.

In 2021, science proficiency fell by 10% across the state of Massachusetts, according

to MCAS testing data, with only 43% of students earning a passing grade statewide. Among schools using the KnowAtom NGSS curriculum with a focus on hands-on learning, elementary and middle school classrooms not only stopped this slide, student achievement soared. For example, at Manchester Memorial School in Manchester-by-the-Sea, students tested 86% proficient or greater, with 10% higher ratings than 2019. 

New school district scores from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education rank KnowAtom curriculum partner Carlisle Public School District top in the state for science scores Exceeding Expectations, out of 317 public and charter districts. 35% of Carlisle Public School elementary students received the state's top MCAS distinction, Exceeding Expectations, five times higher than the state average. The KnowAtom curriculum is also in use at the second-ranked district, North Reading Public Schools, with 25% of students receiving top distinction. 

"The state test results we're seeing now, during a pandemic that has stretched education resources and challenged students and teachers worldwide, shows that the KnowAtom curriculum engages students in deeper learning," said Francis Vigeant CEO of KnowAtom. "With KnowAtom, students are learning NGSS at a level beyond facts and recall, they're developing the strategic thinking skills needed to make learning personally meaningful and productive long into the future - even when that learning is interrupted by a pandemic." 

The KnowAtom NGSS-based curriculum equips teachers with the tools and strategies to engage students in real-world phenomena through non-fiction science reading, Socratic Dialogue, and problem-based hands-on experimentation and engineering prototyping. The curriculum is designed to engage students of all levels, including English as a second language learners, to think like scientists and engineers. With methods and materials designed for cognitive rigor and deeper learning, students achieve in science, as well as other subjects, and strengthen 21st-century career skills, including communication, critical thinking, and teamwork. 

"We're not surprised by the 2021 results - as far back as I can remember, classrooms using KnowAtom rank top in the state - we're proud that KnowAtom continues to facilitate strong student-teacher connections that transform lives, even during a global pandemic," said Vigeant. 

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KnowAtom makes real science possible in every K-8 classroom, with curriculum designed for mastery of Next Generation Science Standards, integrated hands-on materials and targeted professional development. Research-based, classroom-tested tools bring students' own ideas to life.