Venom CoLab Earns ESSA Tier 2 Certification, Affirming Evidence-Based Impact on Science Learning

ESSA Tier 2 Certification after National Randomized Control Trial

Killer Snails LLC, founded in 2016

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, November 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Killer Snails is proud to announce that Venom CoLab, its immersive digital science learning experience, has officially been certified by Marcy Peak, an external research company, as meeting Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier 2: Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness- recognizing its statistically significant, positive impact on student outcomes in middle school science.

Venom CoLab is an inquiry-based, collaborative science experience for students in grades 6 to 10. Students take on roles as scientists (either Zoologist, Biochemist, Molecular Biologist, or Pharmacologist) and work together to study venom. Each group of students studies a venomous organism like marine snails to find peptides from venom to use as a potential treatment for health problems including pain. Each role performs distinct tasks using personalized websites and extended reality on a computer. Students learn from each other and collaborate during activities like lab meetings and experiments, working toward their goal of developing new treatments.

The independent evaluation supporting ESSA Tier 2 certification demonstrated significant gains in students’ knowledge and teamwork scores, with teachers anecdotally sharing particularly strong results among students who typically struggle to stay on task in traditional classroom settings. Venom CoLab was evaluated through a rigorous Randomized Control Trial (RCT) with 699 middle schools students from 18 states and is hereby acknowledged for meeting the criteria of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), earning a Level 2 for “Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness.”

“It was inspiring to see my students so engaged and enthusiastic about learning science. Venom CoLab seamlessly integrated into our lessons and boosted student motivation,” said Karen, a 6th grade STEM teacher in California. “The students were sharing what they learned, and vice versa. They were hearing what their group mates had learned within their different job roles. It was really cool to listen to them,” added Amanda, a 7th grade science educator in Texas.

Educators also highlighted Venom CoLab’s ease of setup, intuitive interface, and ability to spark meaningful discussion: “The students’ enthusiasm and willingness to discuss what they were learning was a real highlight. I loved seeing how quickly they adapted to the interactive format.” shared Peggy, an eighth-grade teacher in Arizona.

Jessica Ochoa Hendrix, CEO of Killer Snails, emphasized the broader significance of this recognition:
“This certification underscores our mission to transform students into scientists through evidence-based learning. With Venom CoLab, we’re showing that immersive, inquiry-driven education doesn’t just inspire curiosity- it measurably improves learning outcomes.”

With this ESSA Tier 2 designation, districts and schools can now confidently adopt Venom CoLab knowing it meets federal standards for evidence-based interventions under ESSA Section 8101(21)(A). The certification affirms the program’s ability to improve student engagement and learning outcomes- helping districts meet accountability requirements while reigniting student engagement with science.

Venom CoLab was supported by a Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of General Medical Science of the National Institutes of Health under award number R44GM146490.

About Killer Snails
Killer Snails creates immersive, research-backed digital learning experiences that transform students into scientists. Founded by educators and scientists, the company designs Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and web-based programs such as BioDive, WaterWays, and Venom CoLab that inspire curiosity and improve STEM outcomes for students nationwide.

Jessica Ochoa Hendrix
Killer Snails
+1 917-848-8036
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VenomCoLab: A Collaborative Science Learning Experience by Killer Snails

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