Newsela Science
by Newsela
This app has not yet been evaluated against our instructional invariants. The analysis below is based on independent research.
Newsela Science does not meet our data transparency standard.
The Bottom Line
Partially. Newsela Science effectively builds background knowledge by offering current science articles at multiple reading levels, integrating literacy with STEM. However, because it relies heavily on reading comprehension rather than direct instruction or interactive simulations, it supports classroom learning but cannot replace hands-on science education or standalone mastery-based practice.
Pros
- Adjusts article Lexile levels dynamically to match your child's reading proficiency.
- Connects abstract scientific concepts to real-world current events and career technical education.
- Includes embedded quizzes that provide immediate retrieval practice after reading.
- Integrates seamlessly with existing school curriculum for blended learning environments.
Cons
- Lacks interactive simulations or hands-on virtual labs to demonstrate scientific phenomena.
- Relying heavily on text means struggling readers may spend more cognitive load on decoding than learning science.
- Does not provide automated feedback on written short-response questions.
- Pricing and access are designed for school districts rather than individual parent subscriptions.
Does Newsela Science Actually Teach?
Newsela Science is an effective supplemental tool for building scientific background knowledge through reading, but it is not a standalone science curriculum. The platform takes real-world science news and rewrites the text at multiple reading levels, ensuring that a third grader and a twelfth grader can read about the same scientific discovery at their respective reading capacities. This approach relies on the learning science principle that background knowledge is a primary driver of reading comprehension. When your child reads an article, they will encounter embedded quizzes and writing prompts designed to test recall and synthesize information. However, parents should know that this is primarily a literacy tool applied to science content. It does not teach the scientific method through interactive virtual labs, nor does it provide mastery-based progression through a standard science curriculum like physics or chemistry. It works best when your child's teacher assigns articles to complement hands-on classroom experiments or primary textbook instruction. Because pricing is geared toward district-wide adoption, individual parent access is highly limited unless provided directly through your child's school.
How Does Newsela Science Help Students Learn?
Newsela Science uses a differentiated literacy approach to teach scientific concepts through leveled informational texts. The core mechanic involves taking authentic, real-world science journalism and adapting each article into five different reading levels. When your child logs in, the platform assesses their current reading ability and automatically serves the science article at the appropriate Lexile measure. As they read, students engage in retrieval practice through multiple-choice quizzes and short-answer writing prompts attached to each text. These assessments measure comprehension and allow the algorithm to adjust the reading level of future articles up or down based on performance. The content spans applied science, career and technical education, and general science standards for grades three through twelve. Teachers can assign specific article sets to align with their current classroom units, creating a blended learning environment where current events reinforce traditional science instruction.
Where Does Newsela Science Excel and Fall Short?
The biggest strength of Newsela Science is its ability to decouple scientific concepts from reading barriers via dynamic Lexile leveling, while its biggest weakness is the complete absence of interactive, simulation-based scientific practice. Building Background Knowledge: The platform excels at connecting theoretical science standards to real-world applications, which cognitive science shows is highly effective for building the background knowledge necessary for deep learning. Retrieval Practice: The embedded multiple-choice quizzes force students to recall information immediately after reading, a proven strategy for moving information into long-term memory. Lack of Experiential Learning: Science education requires observing phenomena, testing hypotheses, and manipulating variables. Because Newsela Science is purely text-based, it misses the experiential component of learning science. Cognitive Load for Struggling Readers: While the text leveling helps, students who struggle significantly with reading may still expend too much working memory on decoding words rather than understanding the underlying scientific principles. Feedback Limitations: The platform provides immediate scoring on multiple-choice questions, but short-answer writing prompts require manual grading from a teacher, delaying the feedback loop necessary for correcting misconceptions.
Is Newsela Science Right for Your Child?
Best for students in grades 3 through 12 who need to build scientific background knowledge and vocabulary alongside their traditional classroom instruction. It is an excellent resource for blended learning environments where teachers want to connect abstract textbook concepts to real-world STEM careers and current events. Because the platform dynamically adjusts reading levels, it is highly beneficial for mixed-ability classrooms where students read at different proficiencies but need to participate in the same scientific discussions. It is not suitable for families seeking a primary science curriculum or interactive virtual lab experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions About Newsela Science
Is Newsela Science free?
No, Newsela Science is not free. Pricing varies based on the number of students and schools served, and it is primarily sold as a subscription to school districts rather than individual families.
Is Newsela Science good for elementary students?
Yes, it is effective for students starting in third grade. The platform adapts complex science articles down to lower reading levels, making it accessible for upper elementary students building foundational science vocabulary.
What does Newsela Science teach?
Newsela Science teaches general science concepts, applied science, and career and technical education by exposing students to current events and informational texts related to STEM fields.
Is Newsela Science safe for kids?
Yes. The platform provides a secure, moderated environment with age-appropriate, professionally vetted journalism. It is designed for school environments and complies with standard student data privacy regulations.
How does Newsela Science compare to Khan Academy Science?
Khan Academy provides direct instruction through video and mastery-based practice sets for core science subjects. Newsela Science focuses strictly on literacy, using current events and leveled reading articles to build scientific background knowledge.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Newsela Science?
Not yet. Newsela Science is currently pending evaluation. Once rated, we will update this profile based on our official review methodology.
Is Newsela Science COPPA compliant?
Yes — its privacy policy references COPPA. ...applicable student privacy laws such as FERPA, COPPA and state student data privacy laws.
Is Newsela Science FERPA compliant?
Yes — its privacy policy references FERPA. ...applicable student privacy laws such as FERPA, COPPA and state student data privacy laws.
Does Newsela Science have a children's privacy policy?
Yes — it has a dedicated children's privacy section. Privacy Disclosures for Children and Students, otherwise known as our Children’s Privacy Policy.
Does Newsela Science sell student data?
No — its privacy policy states it does not sell student data. Please Note: We do not sell Student Data.
Can you delete your data from Newsela Science?
Yes — its privacy policy describes how to delete your account or data. You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.
Data Transparency
Newsela Science does not meet our data transparency standard.
18 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated July 2026
View privacy policy →View all 35 checks
Parent Access7/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“...refers to all users of the Services, including teachers, parents and administrators...”
Can parents view their child's data?
“...or the student’s parent... must contact your School to submit a request to access...”
Can parents modify their child's data?
“...contact your School to submit a request to access, modify or delete your Personal Information.”
Can parents delete their child's account?
“...contact your School to submit a request to access, modify or delete your Personal Information.”
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“Privacy Disclosures for Children and Students, otherwise known as our Children’s Privacy Policy.”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“...applicable student privacy laws such as FERPA, COPPA and state student data privacy laws.”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“...applicable student privacy laws such as FERPA, COPPA and state student data privacy laws.”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“Mentions school obtaining consents but does not detail parental consent for child accounts directly.”
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“You have the right to confirm whether we are processing your personal data and to request access...”
Can users download/export their data?
“...or transfer data we have collected to another organization or directly to you...”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
“No self-service tool is mentioned; requests must be submitted via a webform or email.”
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
“No specific data format for export is mentioned in the provided text.”
Is there an API for data access?
“There is no mention of an API provided for users to access their data.”
Data Minimization1/6
Is data collection itemized?
“Full Name and Contact information... Phone number... School, district, grade...”
Can the app be used without a real name?
“Not explicitly mentioned; policy notes collection of Full Name and Contact information.”
Can the app be used without an email?
“Not explicitly mentioned; policy notes collection of email address.”
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
“Does not explicitly state that general data collection is limited to only what is necessary.”
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
“Mentions collecting IP address but does not state it is anonymized or truncated.”
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
“Location tracking is not explicitly excluded; approximate location is collected for analytics.”
Third-Party Protection6/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“Please Note: We do not sell Student Data.”
Are third-party providers named?
“Names providers like Google, Microsoft, Clever, YouTube, Adobe, and Facebook.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“The AI vendors only use your information in accordance with directions from Newsela.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
“Does not commit to no targeted ads; rather, it provides instructions on how to opt out.”
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
“Third-Party AI Services: Newsela uses third-party AI platforms to power the AI Tools...”
Child-specific sharing restriction?
“Please Note: We do not sell Student Data. For more information on the limited purposes...”
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“You can prevent the use of certain tracking tools on a device-by-device basis by using the controls”
Deletion & Retention1/5
Can users delete their account?
“You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
“Deletion requires filling out a Privacy Rights Request Webform or emailing privacy@newsela.com.”
Specific data retention timeline?
“Retains data for as long as your account is active... or for as long as is reasonably necessary.”
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
“Auto-deletion of inactive accounts is not mentioned in the policy.”
Post-deletion handling described?
“Post-deletion handling processes or data remnants are not described.”
Advertising1/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
“Mentions Opting Out of Behavioral Advertising and Advertising Service Providers.”
Free from third-party advertisements?
“Policy details behavioral advertising activities from Advertising Service Providers we use.”
Children excluded from ad targeting?
“Specific exclusions for children regarding ad targeting are not explicitly detailed in this text.”
Ad-free option available?
“An ad-free option is not mentioned in the policy.”
What This Means
This app does not provide adequate data transparency for parents. This may mean you cannot easily access your child's data, understand what information is collected, or request deletion of personal information. We recommend considering alternatives that provide better data transparency, or using our template letters to request your data rights be honored.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Newsela Science's privacy policy using the Common Sense Privacy Program framework. Evaluation covers 35 binary checks across 6 dimensions. Privacy policies can change — this evaluation reflects the most recent version we analyzed.
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For Newsela Science
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- Pricing
- Pricing varies depending on number of students and schools served. Discounts available for bundling with other Newsela subject products.
- Platforms
- Web Browser, iOS (Apple mobile), iPadOS (Apple tablet), Android (Google mobile), Tizen (Samsung mobile), Windows (Microsoft), macOS (Apple), Chrome OS (Google)
- Grade Levels
- 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
- Website
- Visit site