Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District Partners with Discovery Education to Enhance Science Education

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Charlotte, NC (Tuesday, December 3, 2024)—Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD) today announced a new partnership with global edtech leader Discovery Education that will enhance science education across the school system. Through this new collaboration, MSBSD teachers and students in 15 district schools serving grades 6-12 will receive access to a suite of new, state-of-the-art digital resources that will unleash the power of student curiosity in the classroom and deepen engagement in learning. 

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is located approximately 35 miles north of Anchorage in one of Alaska’s fastest growing communities, Matanuska-Susitna Borough. Consisting of 49 schools serving almost 20,000 students, MSBSD spans approximately 25,000 miles or an area roughly the size of Scotland. Committed to serving as a model of excellence in teaching and learning, the district’s central mission is to prepare all students for success in either the military, technical training, college, or career.    

As part of MSBSD’s effort to deliver a dynamic curriculum that utilizes innovative tools to improve instruction and boost student success, achievement, and performance, the district recently sought to update the district’s science curriculum for students in grades 6-12.  Specifically, MSBSD’s team sought an innovative, hands-on, standards-based curriculum that fosters rigorous, engaging learning experiences for all students. Following a careful review of available resources, MSBSD selected the following two Discovery Education services: 

•  Discovery Education Experience. Connecting educators to a vast collection of high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, intuitive quiz and activity creation tools, and professional learning resources, Discovery Education Experience is an engaging learning platform that facilitates instruction in all subjects and in any environment. These resources are sourced from trusted partners, are aligned to state and national standards and help educators bring the outside world into teaching and learning every day.  Through expanded, lasting partnerships with Microsoft Teams, ClassLink, Google Classroom, Schoology, Canvas, Brightspace, and Clever, integrating Discovery Education’s K-12 learning platform into existing IT architecture is easier than ever.

• Discovery Education Science Techbooks. The Discovery Education Science Techbook series is a comprehensive, research-backed science solution for grades K-12. Used in classrooms across the United States, the Science Techbooks drive engagement with exclusive phenomena and interactive content. The Science Techbooks that will be used by MSBSD’s teachers and students are aligned to state standards and feature virtual and hands-on investigations, STEM activities, and instructional supports that enhance the delivery of impactful, blended instruction. The Science Techbooks also include standards connections and differentiation activities that inform instructional planning and guide three-dimensional learning. Available with the Science Techbooks are coordinated teacher guides offering unit, concept, and lesson overviews, and pre-packaged kits that make classroom activities easy to implement. 

•  Recently, Discovery Education’s Science Techbook was certified as meeting the rigorous, evidence-based ESSA Tier III standards as set forth in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Multiple studies show that regular use of Discovery Education Science Techbook in the classroom has many positive academic results for educators and students across a variety of districts and populations in the United States. This research and more can be found here. 

Discovery Education Experience and Science Techbooks will be used alongside Mystery Science by Discovery Education, which is already in use in the district’s 19 elementary schools. A unique, award-winning, standards-aligned science curriculum for grades K-5, Mystery Science offers engaging, open-and-go lessons with step-by-step, hands-on activities that explore scientific phenomena using common classroom items. 

“The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District is committed to helping prepare our students for success in any environment,” said Sarah Notestine, the district’s Secondary School Curriculum Coordinator. “We chose Discovery Education’s digital services because they offer opportunities for our students to not only to experience a blended and hands-on learning experience but also link what is learned in the classroom to potential jobs here in our local community and beyond. We look forward to implementing these innovative new resources into instruction.” 

All educators using Discovery Education’s digital resources have access to the Discovery Educator Network. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Educator Network connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration. 

“Discovery Education is proud to support the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District’s efforts to support the future success of its students,” said Discovery Education Account Executive Jordan DeVore Alimohammadi. “MSBSD’s work to enhance science instruction will have lasting benefits to students, and we look forward to working closely with district educators as they implement their new services.” 

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.