BURLINGTON, NC – Leading school science supplier Carolina Biological Supply Company announced that its Certified Version of OpenSciEd for grades 6 to 8 received all-green ratings from non-profit EdReports. The organization provides free reports and reviews online that help K-12 educators evaluate math, language arts and science instructional materials because high-quality content matters to teachers, to kids, and to their collective future. The materials are rigorously evaluated for alignment to standards and usability by teams of educators. EdReports’ content reviewers consist of outstanding classroom educators, district coaches, and state content leaders who deeply understand college-and career-ready standards and the importance of high-quality instructional materials. Read the full report on EdReports.org.
In simple terms, the all-green rating from EdReports means that the Carolina Certified Version of OpenSciEd meets expectations for all three categories of review: Designed for the Next Generation Science Standards* (NGSS); coherence and scope; and usability. It further demonstrates that the enhancements Carolina made to its version of the program also meet expectations for alignment and usability.
“As a non-profit science developer, OpenSciEd intentionally created an open-source science curriculum so that teachers could edit and adapt and localize the content for their students,” said Jim Ryan, Executive Director of OpenSciEd. “By making the OpenSciEd for grades 6-8 curriculum easier to use last year, the Carolina Certified Version paved the way for teachers to make these changes, while maintaining the high quality of the instructional materials. Working with Carolina as a certified partner resulted in another excellent version of our curriculum.”
In 2021, Carolina became a certified partner with nonprofit science developer OpenSciEd to create a unique version of OpenSciEd science units grades 6 to 8. Carolina, through its own expert scientists and science educators, took a first step towards enhancing the OpenSciEd units to further support teachers and engage students. The Carolina Certified Version offers redesigned print materials, simplified equipment, and an enhanced digital experience, plus certified professional learning to help teachers make the shift to three-dimensional, student-centered, and phenomena-driven learning.
“We appreciate receiving the review from EdReports, a highly respected source for reliable insight, and are very proud to have earned all green ratings,” said Jim Parrish, President and CEO at Carolina. “Carolina, like EdReports, knows teachers spend many hours looking for quality materials. Their rigorous review process can make it much easier for educators to quickly see and be assured that our Carolina Certified Version of OpenSciEd for middle school met their standards in every category and went through deep scrutiny by a team of educator reviewers. The review can definitely help take another burden off teachers and help them find high-quality materials for their classrooms.”
Carolina is grateful for the opportunity to have its version reviewed by EdReports. The Carolina Biological Certified Version of OpenSciEd draws upon the same science content as OpenSciEd and has the same scores across the program. Some evidence statements have been edited to reflect the differences in program navigation and usability, including the presence of an online digital platform.
For information, Carolina encourages educators to visit its online page at https://www.carolinaopenscied.com to learn about its versions of OpenSciEd. Units are available for purchase now through Carolina. Visit Carolina’s website or, call (800) 334-5551, or e-mail curriculum@carolina.com.
Carolina Biological Supply Company
From its beginnings in 1927, Carolina ( www.carolina.com) has grown to become the leading supplier of science teaching materials in the world. Headquartered in Burlington, NC, Carolina serves customers worldwide, including teachers, students, and professionals in science and health-related fields. The company is still privately owned by descendants of the founder, geology and biology professor Dr. Thomas E. Powell Jr.
* NGSS is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.
