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ADDRESSING VOID IN EARLY STEM EDUCATION, SUCCESS ACADEMY RELEASES SCIENCE UNITS FOR GRADES K-4 IN ADVANCE OF STEM DAY ON NOVEMBER 8

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:

Laura Wilker, 332-895-2237
Laura.Wilker@successacademies.org

Ann Powell, 646-894-6407
Ann.Powell@successacademies.org 

 

ADDRESSING VOID IN EARLY STEM EDUCATION, SUCCESS ACADEMY RELEASES SCIENCE UNITS FOR GRADES K-4 IN ADVANCE OF STEM DAY ON NOVEMBER 8

Stronger K-12 STEM Education Is Needed to Spur Growth of U.S. Engineering and Science Workforce, Critical to Country’s Prosperity and Security 

New York, NY, November 3, 2022 — America’s K-12 science education has stagnated over the past decade. Globally, the U.S. ranks 35th in math and 18th in science achievement, and is among the few countries where the gap between low and high science performers is widening. In elementary schools, science is sidelined or nonexistent. According to the 2019 Policy groups from the National Science Board and National Science Foundation to the Center for Strategic and International Studies are issuing calls to action: “the U.S. needs ‘all hands on deck’ to modernize K-12 STEM education and to hold itself accountable with reliable, up-to-date data.” Racial disparities are widening, and America’s economy and prosperity suffer. China produces five times as many engineers than the U.S. does annually, and India four times as many. These other countries will become technologically dominant if the U.S. does not change course quickly.

In response, Success Academy today released five elementary school science units through its sharing arm, the Robertson Center. Enrolling 20,000 students across 49 schools, Success Academy is one of the largest charter networks in the country and the highest performing school district in New York State. All curriculum and assessment content is developed in house by its Education Institute. These inquiry-based, hands-on units are available to educators (and parents) at no charge:

“Science is a major focus at Success Academy, in part because kids just love it, and engaging students in their own learning is critical to their long term success,” said Eva Moskowitz, Success Academy founder and CEO. “It’s also an equity issue. Due to poor K-12 science education, few students of color are prepared to pursue STEM fields. At Success Academy, we aim to reverse that. Currently, 40% of our graduates are pursuing STEM degrees in college, a number we expect to increase.” 

Science starts in Kindergarten at Success Academy. Students are taught science five days a week, conducting more than 100 experiments each year, from building Rube Goldberg machines to studying force and motion, to examining the effect of temperature on cricket habitats. The curriculum builds each year through high school. From an early age, the program sparks curiosity, sharpens problem-solving capabilities, and fuels passion for knowledge — preparing scholars to seize the opportunities available in a global economy rooted in advanced technologies.

At Success Academy’s three high schools, students have the opportunity to take collegiate-level mechanical and electrical engineering; a three-year pre-med sequence; AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus AB, Statistics; and computer science. Through dual-enrollment partnerships with Columbia, Hunter, and Georgia Tech, SA high schoolers also have access to college STEM courses.

Success Academy also shares its K-8 literacy curriculum, as well as middle school science and history, through the Robertson Center. You’ll find video content of workshops and webinars on the RC’s YouTube Channel.

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ABOUT SUCCESS ACADEMY  

Since its founding in 2006, Success Academy has created the highest-performing public school district in New York state, and a national model of access to excellence for children across all demographics. We currently enroll over 20,000 children in 49 elementary, middle, and high schools. The majority of Success Academy scholars are children of color from low-income households in disadvantaged neighborhoods, admitted through a random public lottery. Our distinctive K-12 approach, designed as a holistic 13-year educational trajectory, leads to student outcomes that outpace even those in affluent suburban schools. To date, 100% of SA’s graduates have been accepted to college, many to highly selective institutions. Most are the first in their families to have the opportunity for higher education. We regularly share our curriculum and methods with educators and school leaders across the country. By scaling excellence and reigniting the civic mission of education, Success Academy is leading a movement to reinvent public education.  For more information about Success Academy, go to ABOUT THE ROBERTSON CENTER  

The Robertson Center at Success Academy shares resources, events, and professional development for free with educators and parents across the country. Education is a performance sport, and to do it well teachers need practice, coaching, and a supportive team cheering them on. Throughout the year, our workshops and virtual training offer educators the opportunity to build skill, community, and expertise. For more information about The Robertson Center, go to robertsoncenter.successacademies.org or visit the YouTube Channel.

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