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PechaKucha

Leadership and Program Management

Shift Your Thinking: Close the Science Achievement Gap in the Primary Years

SESSION DATES & TIMES COMING IN AUGUST 2026
Audience Classification: Digital Learning
Audience Expertise: All Levels - This session is intentionally designed to engage and provide value across experience levels-from beginners to seasoned leaders.
Grade Level Focus: Pre-K, Elementary Schools
Primary Audience: Content Designer, District Leader, Teacher
Does this session focus on a specific product? No – This session is focused on ideas, strategies, or practices, not a specific product or service.
Abstract Description : The early education science achievement gap is not a myth. A study was completed recently at Penn State. Their findings showed that if unaddressed, science achievement gaps emerge by kindergarten and continue until at least the end of eighth grade. This should tell us that we are focusing on the upper grades, specifically the grade levels that are being tested. This is simply a band-aid solution and a major shift in forward thinking. In order to minimize or even alleviate this gap, we need to begin focusing on science in the primary years. First, learn why this is so detrimental. Then, learn how to shift your thinking to close the gap in early education science; now.

Learning Objectives:

  • Participants will be able to analyze the critical nature of early science achievement gaps by identifying at least three reasons why unaddressed gaps in kindergarten through primary grades are detrimental to long-term student outcomes.
  • Participants will be able to develop actionable strategies for shifting educational focus from reactive upper-grade interventions to proactive primary-year science instruction that prevents achievement gaps from forming.