EdCircuit Staff 
Charlotte, NC. (Thursday, September 28, 2023) — Worldwide edtech leader Discovery Education today announced that two of its award-winning digital services have been certified as meeting the rigorous, evidence-based standards set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Discovery Education’s Science Techbook has achieved ESSA Tier III and Tier IV certification and Discovery Education Experience has achieved Tier IV certification.
Discovery Education’s innovative Science Techbook is an evidence-based, award-winning, comprehensive K-12 science curriculum that brings the excitement of science to life. Students explore the marvels of the natural world through an immersive, phenomena-based science curriculum that includes hands-on learning opportunities, interactive content, and time-saving teaching and assessment tools.
Multiple studies show that regular use of 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. For example, in an independent study with Arizona’s Sahuarita Unified School District, a third party evaluated Discovery Education’s impact and found that the use of Science Techbook resulted in increased science, math, and reading proficiency in grades 3-8. In the second study, a correlation was found between frequency and depth of use of Science Techbook and student achievement in science in grades 6 and 7.
Experience, Discovery Education’s PreK-12 learning platform, engages students with real-world content and multi-modal instruction, supports teachers with intuitive teaching tools, and ensures high-quality instruction with cross-curricular strategies— delivering a unified classroom experience that prepares learners for tomorrow.
Use of Discovery Education Experience’s curricular resources has improved academic outcomes across the country for students overall, especially for racial and ethnic minorities and students impacted by poverty, disabilities, and limited English proficiency. Research also indicates that students who have regular access to Discovery Education resources have higher attendance rates and outpace their peers on state assessments. In a study conducted in Texas, 73% of students with high usage of Experience met state benchmarks, compared to 30% of low-use students, and another study conducted in Tennessee found that 66% of high-use students met reading benchmarks and 70% met math benchmarks, compared to 50% of low-use students meeting benchmarks for both. More information about Discovery Education’s research studies can be found here.
“We are incredibly proud that both our Science Techbook and Experience services have been awarded ESSA certification,” said Pete Weir, Discovery Education’s Chief Product Officer. “School systems nationwide are taking a close look at their edtech spend and choosing to renew only those resources grounded in research and with a proven track record of efficacy. Achieving these ESSA certifications is a clear signal that Discovery Education’s resources improve student outcomes.”
To learn more about Discovery Education’s ESSA certification and to read the supporting research, visit the Discovery Education Research and Impact website.
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 (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
