The study, examining over 4,400 students across six California districts, found that students using Green Ninja’s science curriculum showed an average increase of 2.5 points in standardized test scores—surpassing demographically similar districts. In contrast, districts without Green Ninja experienced a 0.6-point decrease in scores. Most significantly, the number of students performing below standard dropped by 13%, further narrowing achievement gaps.

The impact was particularly strong among traditionally underserved populations:

• English learners achieved a 2.7-point increase, compared to the state’s 1-point average
• All participating districts exceeded state averages for economically disadvantaged students
• Districts saw a 5% increase in students reaching advanced performance levels

Curriculum Framework and Approach

The curriculum, developed from a National Science Foundation-funded project, is grounded in a framework validated by research at San José State University. This framework focuses on three key components: 

• Building personal connections
• Fostering empathy for the environment
• Empowering students to enact change

By building students’ real-world connections, the curriculum makes learning more relevant and engaging. When students see how lessons apply to real-world challenges, they become more motivated and invested, fostering community involvement, leadership, and academic success.

These real-world connections are reinforced through a project-based learning approach that follows three steps:

1. Students identify environmental challenges in their local communities
2. They investigate the underlying scientific principles
3. They develop and implement practical solutions

“When students connect science to challenges in their own communities, learning becomes personal,” says Dr. Eugene Cordero, a professor at San José State University and Green Ninja Founder. “These results validate our approach of translating research-backed principles into practical classroom experiences.”

Noah Canton, a middle school science teacher, has observed this impact firsthand: “The real-world focus empowers my students beyond the classroom. Many have pursued careers addressing global challenges, and the program played a key role in fostering that interest.”

At Lincoln Middle School, sixth-grade teacher Holly Rios shares an instance of her students’ initiative: “My students developed and presented a waste reduction plan to our school board, demonstrating their ability to apply classroom learning to real-world problems.”