In this report, the authors take stock of kindergarten through grade 12 science teachers' use of instructional materials. The authors highlight new opportunities for growth in attention and resources. These efforts aim to support the adoption and implementation of standards-aligned instructional materials and practices. The goal is to improve the quality of science instruction and increase student achievement.

Standards-Aligned Instructional Materials Use and Science Practices in K–12 Schools

Findings from the Spring 2025 American Instructional Resources Survey

Anna Shapiro

ResearchPublished Mar 27, 2026

Although educators have sought to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, science has not been prioritized in high-stakes accountability movements of recent decades. Standards help set common goals, but teachers determine how students achieve them. The instructional materials that teachers use play a large role in how they teach. Therefore, state leaders have promoted the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) to improve the quality of science instruction and increase student achievement.

For this report, the authors used spring 2025 American Instructional Resources Survey data to examine science teachers' use of instructional materials and engagement in science practices. The survey examined the percentage of kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) teachers who used HQIM in 2024–2025; the availability of standards-aligned materials and the opportunities for teachers to choose their own materials; how science teachers perceive their materials and how they adjust them to support their students; and the relationship between the use of standards-aligned materials and the engagement of students with science and engineering practices.

In this report, the authors take stock of the use of instructional materials among K–12 science teachers. The findings from this report highlight opportunities to support the adoption and implementation of standards-aligned instructional materials and instructional practices. These findings should be of interest to state and district leaders working to increase HQIM use in schools and curriculum developers who support HQIM use in efforts to develop a common vision for science education.

Key Findings

  • Science teachers were less likely to use materials rated as standards-aligned in the 2024–2025 school year and had fewer standards-aligned materials to choose from than English language arts (ELA) and math teachers.
  • Science teachers who used standards-aligned materials were more likely to report that their instructional materials were too challenging for their students and modify these materials to make them less challenging.
  • Science teachers were less likely to use off-the-shelf materials and more likely to use self-created materials than ELA and math teachers.
  • Science teachers were more likely to choose their own off-the-shelf materials, while math teachers were more likely to report that their district leaders chose their materials.
  • Many science teachers reported that their instructional materials were not adequate for helping their students meet state standards and supporting achievement on assessments.
  • Science teachers who used standards-aligned materials were more likely to engage their students in National Research Council and Next Generation Science Standards science and engineering practices.

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Shapiro, Anna, Standards-Aligned Instructional Materials Use and Science Practices in K–12 Schools: Findings from the Spring 2025 American Instructional Resources Survey. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2026. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA4594-3.html.
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This research was funded by the Gates Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, and the Walton Family Foundation and conducted in the Education and Employment Program of RAND Education, Employment, and Infrastructure.

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