Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

RobotLAB Inks Landmark Robotics Partnership with American Samoa Department of Education

DALLAS, TX – RobotLAB, an award-winning robotics integrator that delivers impactful technological innovations and solutions for educators and business owners across the globe, has inked a momentous partnership with the American Samoa Department of Education. RobotLAB will provide more than 150 technology carts to the nation’s public schools, each including humanoid robots, virtual reality headsets, laptops, tablets and lesson plans that will expose students to age-appropriate technology and encourage a mastery of computer science, artificial intelligence, automation, STEM and robotics.

“We’re honored to bring enhanced STEM education and robotics to American Samoa, as we’ve seen the positive impact these technologies have had on students over the last 15-plus years,” said RobotLAB Founder and CEO, Elad Inbar. “After working with the American Samoa Department of Education to identify the best programs and packages for their needs, we’re excited to introduce students in American Samoa to best-in-class education technologies that will challenge and encourage them to master the interconnected world of robotics and automation through hands-on learning.”

Each STEM cart has been tailored by RobotLAB’s skilled roboticists and education specialists for the various grade levels, ensuring teachers have the appropriate products and lesson plans for their students. The carts can accommodate classrooms of up to 24 students, each including three age-specific product bundles comprised of humanoid robots, virtual reality headsets and more. Mindful of inclusivity and accessibility, RobotLAB is also providing robots, VR equipment, projected reality stations and lesson plans designed for students with a variety of learning needs.…Read More

Driving Innovation, Discovery Education Reaches New Heights in New Hampshire Classrooms 

CONCORD, NH — The New Hampshire Department of Education and Discovery Education are thrilled to announce that Granite State educators, students and families have reached one million engagements on the Discovery Education digital platform – helping to support learners statewide.  Discovery Education is a worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.     

“This unique digital learning platform is sparking curiosity and igniting wonder for both students and teachers through a suite of educational strategies that are helping students learn now and into the future,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. “This milestone deserves to be celebrated, as we know public school districts across New Hampshire have taken advantage of Discovery Education’s innovative and engaging instructional content.” 

In 2021, the New Hampshire Department of Education selected Discovery Education’s award-winning K-12 learning platform to support all New Hampshire learning environments with high quality instructional material. Since then, there have been more than one million engagements statewide for all Discovery Education resources. …Read More

Is “re-inventing education” more than a cliché?

It’s always a pleasure to talk with Anthony Salcito, formerly Vice President of Worldwide Education at Microsoft and currently Chief Institution Business Officer at Nerdy. In his current role, Anthony leads Varsity Tutors for Schools and is responsible for Nerdy’s efforts to support institutions as they work to transform learning opportunities for students and educators across a range of offerings. Recently, the platform was selected by the New Jersey Department of Education as an approved pre-qualified tutoring provider for the state’s 2023/2024 High-Impact Tutoring Program. This initiative, tailored to assist students disproportionately affected by the pandemic, focuses specifically on third and fourth graders. The Ohio Department of Education also picked Varsity Tutors this fall to provide tutoring services for Future Forward Ohio. The collaboration aims to accelerate learning in literacy and numeracy while boosting workforce readiness and student wellness.

Our most recent conversation touches upon the impact of the pandemic on education, the role of teachers, and the evolution of tutoring in the education landscape. We talk about the evolution of the perception of tutoring, the challenges schools face in integrating consistent tutoring practices, and the potential of AI in education. Have a listen:

Key Takeaways:…Read More

Carnegie Learning Picked by CT State Department of Education for High-Dosage Tutoring

Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Learning, a leader in AI-driven technology, curriculum, and professional learning solutions for K-12 education, was selected by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) as an approved tutoring provider for the state’s 2023/2024 High-Dosage Tutoring (HDT) Program. The new initiative is designed to address math learning gaps among students in grades 6-9 across the state. Carnegie Learning is the only approved tutoring provider with perfect scores for Middle School Math by EdReports, and one point shy of perfect for High School Math.

“Carnegie Learning’s tutoring program provides a perfect combination of high-quality instructional resources with tutor instructors who are certified teachers and passionate about what they do,” said CEO Barry Malkin. “Our team has decades of experience establishing strong partnerships built on trust. Together this unique set of skills leads to a high impact tutoring program creating positive outcomes for thousands of students across the country. We are excited to bring this level of expertise to the students and districts in Connecticut.”

Carnegie Learning has the largest certified tutoring team in the U.S., with an ever-increasing portfolio of new curriculum offerings being added as district needs arise.…Read More

Georgia Adds Classworks® Reading Screener to State-approved Universal Screener and Dyslexia Screener Lists

The Georgia Department of Education (GA DOE) recently added the Classworks Reading Universal Screener assessment to two state-approved lists. The Classworks screener is now approved by the state as a Universal Reading Screener and a Qualified Dyslexia Screening Tool for Grades K–3.

In April 2023, the Georgia Early Literacy Act (HB538) required the state to, among other requirements, establish a uniform standard for measuring literacy, approve high-quality literacy instructional materials for teaching students in K-3, and provide for the approval and use of universal reading screeners for K-3 students. The state provided a list of approved universal screeners and dyslexia screening tools to support school districts in choosing high-quality resources.

“Classworks Universal Screeners are already widely used by Georgia districts to effectively assess students’ proficiency and identify students who may need additional support,” notes Melissa Sinunu, Classworks President and Chief Operating Officer. “We are thrilled the GA DOE has added the valid and reliable resource as an approved assessment tool to help teachers identify students who may be at risk for dyslexia and as an essential part of school district’s comprehensive literacy programs.”…Read More

West Virginia Department of Education selects Istation’s ISIP™ Assessment for Reading, Math, and Dyslexia Screening

Dallas, TX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Istation, a leader in educational technology, announced today that the West Virginia Department of Education has selected Istation as a K-3 formative assessment for literacy, numeracy, and indicators of dyslexia selection criteria. This approval will empower schools and districts across West Virginia to implement Istation’s Indicators of Progress (ISIP) assessment to measure readiness in critical skills, identify learning barriers, and improve instructional approaches. 

“This news means classrooms across West Virginia will receive screening tools to help educators implement an evidence-based approach to learning.” said Vice President of Research and Assessments, Victoria Locke, Ph.D., “During the 2023-2024 school year, K-3 student achievement benchmarks will directly benefit from having Istation available.”

With the goal of improving student grade-level proficiency for early learners in reading and mathematics, the Third Grade Success Act requires every school to establish a process for ensuring the developmental and academic progress of all students with evidence-based tools. 

Istation’s reading and math assessment provides an evidence-based method for evaluating literacy skills, core math competencies, and dyslexia risk factors by offering benchmark assessment resources that facilitate universal screening more than three times a year.…Read More

Connecticut State Department of Education Selects FEV Tutor for State’s New High-Dosage Tutoring Program

WOBURN, Mass. – The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has selected FEV Tutor as an approved tutoring service in the state’s new Connecticut High-Dosage Tutoring (HDT) Program. The HDT program is a new state initiative that aims to accelerate mathematics recovery for priority students in grades six through nine during the 2023-24 academic year. School districts that successfully apply to the program will receive a brief list of vetted and approved tutor providers, including FEV Tutor, as well as grant funds for implementing tutoring services.

The HDT program’s classification of “priority students” includes:

– Students with disabilities…Read More

Virginia Chooses iteach as the Alternative Teacher Certification Provider for 24 Divisions of the Commonwealth

DENTON, Texas — In an effort to fill more than 3,500 teaching vacancies, the Virginia Department of Education has chosen iteach as the identified partner for alternative teachers certification in 24 divisions of the Commonwealth. Now, Virginians with bachelor’s degrees can use iteach’s innovative hybrid model to navigate the process of becoming certified K-12 educators.

“The program will help us build a larger applicant pool to include current teacher assistants and substitute teachers who possess a bachelor’s degree,” said Paige Tucker, director, talent acquisition and management-licensed staffing in the Department of Human Resources at Arlington Public Schools. “iteach can be utilized with our current provisional teachers as a more affordable and efficient alternative to obtaining their license. iteach will also help us recruit in our most high-need areas, which include special education and elementary.” 

For aspiring teachers who have completed a bachelor’s degree, the iteach program offers a 1-year path to teacher certification, making it both faster and less expensive than certification through a university. Teachers complete iteach coursework online on a flexible schedule, and earn full pay while they complete their in-classroom teaching requirements. While they’re enrolled, they have free access to the Teaching Channel professional development platform and test prep from Passage Preparation. Once they’re hired, the district will assign each new teacher a Classroom Supervisor to help them navigate the challenges of their first year in the classroom. …Read More

Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) Names Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® Assessment a Qualified Dyslexia Screening Tool for Grades K–3

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.—The GaDOE recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Assessment as a Qualified Dyslexia Screening Tool for Grades K–3. School districts across the state can now use the program’s online Diagnostic and offline literacy assessment tasks to support with the identification and referral of students who exhibit characteristics of dyslexia. Today, the i-Ready program serves more than 11.5 million students and approximately one-third of all Grades K–8 students in the United States, including approximately 485,000 students in Georgia.

“It is so important that teachers have effective tools to identify students who may be at risk for dyslexia,” said Elizabeth Bassford, vice president of content and implementation at Curriculum Associates. “Now teachers across Georgia can use i-Ready’s single assessment along with its offline literacy assessment tasks to complete the screening and identification process, and develop individualized, data-driven instruction to support each student who will benefit from that specificity.”

All programs named to GaDOE’s Qualified Dyslexia Screening Tool list undergo a comprehensive review and demonstrate that they address—and measure—specific components. These components include phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, sound symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding skills, encoding skills, rapid naming, accuracy of word reading on grade-level text, and sight word reading efficiency skills.…Read More

Ohio Department of Education Names Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® Assessment an Approved Dyslexia Screener for Grades K–3

NORTH BILLERICA, Mass.—The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) recently named Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready Assessment as an approved Comparable Assessment to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee with Dyslexia Screening (K–3 Diagnostic/Dyslexia Screener) and Tier 1 Dyslexia Screening Measure (Dyslexia Screener). Starting in the 2023–2024 school year, districts across the state can now use i-Ready’s online Diagnostic and offline literacy assessment tasks to screen for risk factors of dyslexia and help provide data-driven instructional support to students. In addition, i-Ready can now be used for five additional assessment areas as outlined by the ODE this coming school year.

“Districts and schools throughout Ohio can now leverage the power of i-Ready for a number of their assessment needs, including screening students who many need specialized supports to excel in reading,” said Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates. “Having a single, comprehensive assessment solution such as i-Ready is so important because it eliminates the need for districts to administer multiple, redundant assessments. This gives teachers more time back in their schedules so they can deliver impactful and personalized instruction, which is critical for the achievement of all students.”

According to the ODE, approved assessments on the Comparable Assessment to Ohio’s K–3 Diagnostic Assessment for the Third Grade Reading Guarantee with Dyslexia Screening (K–3 Diagnostic/Dyslexia Screener) list may be used by school districts to determine if a student is—or is not—on track in reading, as well as to identify students at risk for dyslexia based on direct assessment of performance in several key areas. The results from the approved assessments, such as i-Ready, may be used by school districts to guide instruction and intervention throughout the school year.…Read More