PS Science

PS Science began as a project of the Crossroads Community Outreach Foundation, an initiative of the Crossroads School in Santa Monica, before PS Science became an independent nonprofit organization in 2018. PS Science was established in response to a disconcerting trend: at the time of the project's inception, California students ranked at the bottom of national science exam scores. Because California does not test students in science until the 5th grade, science instruction has not been a priority during these early years. These challenges are exacerbated in low-income schools that do not have the discretionary resources to dedicate to early science instruction.

PS Science was founded to remediate this issue by supporting classrooms in Title I elementary schools with the materials, curriculum, and training necessary to provide consistent science instruction. In particular, the organization seeks to build on children's natural curiosity about the world to position science as fun and engaging. Today, PS Science works in partnership with 107 classrooms across 11 schools in the Los Angeles area. Its impact is notable: in June 2019, PS Science 4th grade participants performed 99% better than the national average in a standardized science assessment.