How to Help Your Students Prepare for the New North Carolina Science Standards

Big changes are underway in North Carolina classrooms. For the first time since 2009, the state has updated its K–12 science standards, and these aren’t minor tweaks. The 2023 updates, fully implemented in the 2024–2025 school year, mark a shift in how science is taught, emphasizing how students learn, not just what they learn.

Why Were the Standards Changed?

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) initiated this update to foster deeper conceptual understanding and ensure students develop the “durable skills” needed for future success, skills like critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific inquiry. The revision aligns with Superintendent Catherine Truitt’s “Portrait of a Graduate” framework, which reimagines student readiness beyond test scores to include lifelong competencies.

While content remained mostly intact, the state saw an urgent need to modernize how science is taught. The goal? Equip students with hands-on, inquiry-based learning experiences that better reflect scientific practices and professional expectations.

How Did the Standards Change?

The new standards span all grade levels and were revised with educator input to ensure age-appropriate, rigorous expectations. Every standard now emphasizes “scientific and engineering practices,” urging teachers to create more interactive, investigative classrooms.

Here’s a quick look at tested grade-level changes:

• Grade 5: Students now “carry out investigations” to classify rocks rather than just memorizing types. They interpret fossil data instead of inferring ideas from text. This reflects a broader emphasis on applied learning.
• Grade 8 and High School Biology: While core topics remain, students now explore systems through experimentation, modeling, and data interpretation, mirroring real-world science applications.
  

These changes aim to transform students from passive learners into active problem-solvers. Take a look at an example of a related question about analyzing data and applied research for 5th grade students.

What’s Happened Since Implementation?

After one full year of rollout, schools across North Carolina are at different stages of success. Teachers are embracing the spirit of the new standards, but adapting instruction hasn’t been without challenges. The most frequently cited hurdles include:

• The steep learning curve of transitioning to hands-on instruction.
• Gaps in aligned classroom resources.
• Differentiating instruction for diverse learners, especially in science vocabulary and reading comprehension.
  

Early anecdotal feedback suggests that schools emphasizing formative assessment and timely intervention have seen stronger student outcomes.

How Can Schools Support Teachers and Students?

Adapting to new standards takes more than enthusiasm, it requires tools that evolve with the standards and help teachers keep pace.

That’s where Progress Learning comes in.

Our platform is fully aligned to the new North Carolina science standards. From day one, teachers can access pre-built assessments, adaptive intervention, and remediation resources that mirror the rigor of the state’s expectations. With over 200,000 items, including content specifically tailored for North Carolina, we eliminate the need for teachers to spend hours hunting for aligned materials.

Here’s how we support success:

• Ongoing test prep: Weekly practice that adjusts to student performance and stays current with NCDPI updates.
• Immediate remediation: One-click access to targeted lessons and instructional videos for struggling learners.
• Custom assessments: Build or select tests that match the structure and content of state assessments.
• Seamless integration: Our platform is intuitive, so teachers can embed it into their lessons without extra training or planning.
  

And unlike many other programs, Progress Learning is priced by campus, not per student, making it a sustainable choice for districts of any size.

Moving Forward

The new North Carolina science standards are more than a curriculum update, they’re a call to engage students in authentic scientific thinking. And while the transition takes time, the right tools can make all the difference. With Progress Learning, your team can focus on what really matters: helping every student understand, apply, and love science. 

Get in touch below for a preview of Progress Learning’s NC standards-aligned platform and see how it can help your students.