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.

Spanish and English Versions of Science Techbook for Texas by Discovery Education Now Available for Use In K-8 and Biology Classrooms Statewide 

Discovery Education, the worldwide edtech leader, today announced that the Spanish and English versions of Science Techbook for Texas by Discovery Education for K-8 and Biology students is now available for use in classrooms statewide. This dynamic core instructional curriculum was created from the ground up expressly for Texas educators and students. Science Techbook for Texas has been found to be 100% aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the English Language Proficiency Standards at every grade level by the relevant state review panels and has earned a 100% score from the Texas Resource Review for its K-5 and Biology editions.  

Science Techbook for Texas empowers Texas school systems to easily integrate an innovative, updateable, digital-print-kit blended curriculum into instruction to create unique, student-centered learning experiences. Included in this comprehensive core curriculum are engaging digital resources, print student and teacher editions, hands-on activity kits, and virtual investigations. In addition, an embedded professional learning component within Science Techbook for Texas helps teachers quickly and easily integrate this resource into classroom instruction, ensuring school leaders see maximum return on their technology investment. 

The Science Techbook for Texas curriculum includes ready-to-use, phenomena-driven lessons that motivate students with powerful technology tools—such as toggle-on authentic Spanish translation—that personalize the student experience, and time-saving teacher tools that streamline preparation and grading. Available in both print and digital formats, Science Techbook for Texas provides a seamless classroom experience complete with immersive, interactive ways to explore scientific phenomena, including hands-on engineering activities, labs, and STEM connections.  …Read More

4 simple ways to put the science of reading into practice

Key points:

In districts across the country, educators are continuing to support students with post-pandemic learning recovery. Many students are still reading below the level appropriate for their grade–roughly one-third of fourth graders in the United States read at or below what’s considered the basic level. And unfortunately, even before the pandemic, reading achievement has been low over the past several decades.

Districts incorporating the science of reading into their curricula are seeing improved student outcomes. However, because the science of reading refers to broad research in a variety of fields on how a child learns to read, practical applications have not yet been widely taught to educators and there is a sizeable gap between theory and action.…Read More

Acceleration Academies Appoints Kelli Campbell as New Chief Executive Officer

Chicago, IL – Acceleration Academies, the nation’s leading provider of tech-enabled flexible education, announced today that Kelli Campbell will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer to accelerate growth and broaden impact to school districts and students.

Campbell spent 17 years at Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12 school districts, and most recently served as President of the company. As a career EdTech executive, she brings a demonstrated history of success leading the sales and marketing, product development and operations functions for pioneering educational technology organizations. 

“After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process, the board is pleased to have found the best individual to take Acceleration Academies into its next stage of growth and expansion,” said Steve King, co-founder of Daniels & King Ventures, the main funding source for Acceleration Academies. “Kelli has a track record of strong leadership in the EdTech industry, established relationships with K-12 school districts, and success in private equity value creation. We are confident that Kelli is the right leader to accelerate the company’s growth opportunities.”…Read More

What’s Next for Discovery Ed?

Six months into his tenure as Discovery Education’s new CEO, I had the chance to Zoom in with Jeremy Cowdrey as he reflected on the state of education post-pandemic and the persistent need for edtech innovations. It was a refreshingly unscripted conversation—not often the case with senior executives—about the accelerated adoption of technology, the shift in teacher perspectives, and the importance of intentional AI implementation. I also heard about his neighbor’s technology pivot as a teacher and how while AI has great potential, it will never take you out to lunch! Have a listen.

Cowdrey was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Imagine Learning. Having joined the company in 2006, Mr. Cowdrey also served as Imagine Learning’s President, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Regional Partnership Director. Prior to joining Imagine Learning, Mr. Cowdrey served in sales and management positions for several software and education companies, including Scott Foresman Addison Wesley, Pearson, and Novell. With over 23 years of experience in edtech, he is also the first person in his immediate family to graduate from college,

Key Takeaways:…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

Virginia’s Portsmouth Public Schools Expands Partnership with Discovery Education to Bring Students in Grades 7-12 State-of-the-Art Digital Resources 

 CHARLOTTE, NC —Portsmouth Public Schools (PPS) today announced it has expanded its partnership with Discovery Education supporting the district’s five-year strategic plan, Expedition to 2025: Purpose. Promise. Success. In this new phase of collaboration, educators, and students in grades 7-12 across PPS will receive access to Discovery Education’s Pivot Interactives service. Pivot Interactives supports teachers as they work to help students more deeply engage in and explore natural phenomena and other scientific concepts to develop their understanding of the discipline.   

PPS is made up of 23 schools and centers: three high schools, three middle schools, 13 elementary schools, three preschool centers, and an alternative education center. The school system has 13,000 students enrolled throughout the city and approximately 2,100 staff members working each day. The district’s strategic plan—Expedition to 2025: Purpose. Promise. Success.—is a multipronged approach that outlines five goals for PPS with specific objectives and action steps to ensure the school system meets those goals.   

To meet the plan’s first goal of providing all students educational opportunities ensuring high academic growth, the district sought to add to its existing suite of digital resources capable of supporting instruction in the in-person or remote environment. Following a review of potential solutions, PPS selected Discovery Education’s Pivot Interactives service for use with students in grades 7-12.  …Read More

Discovery Education and Leading Corporate and Nonprofit Partners Launch First-of-Its-Kind Initiative Supporting Sustainability

Charlotte, NC — Discovery Education, the worldwide leader in education solutions, today announced it has partnered with Subaru of America, Inc., LyondellBasell, Nucor, Honeywell, and the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) to launch the Sustainability Education Coalition. This first-of-its-kind initiative is focused on empowering over 10 million students by 2030 to serve as ambassadors for sustainability by providing the digital resources K-12 students need to make informed decisions and take responsible actions supporting sustainability.  

Coalition partners are united in the goal of empowering tomorrow’s changemakers by connecting classroom learning to various sustainability themes. The Sustainability Education Coalition is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is driving forward sustainability education at an unprecedented scale through a five-pronged framework: 

  • Equitable access to high quality learning resources: Investing in under-resourced schools so students can benefit from the best-in-class Discovery Education Experience. 
  • Innovative Community Engagement Pathway: Introducing global challenges through a local lens; ensuring students can connect concepts to their local communities. 
  • Challenge-Based Learning Informed by Partners: Delivering engaging, high-quality resources and learning experiences for students. 
  • National Visibility: Working to promote a national conversation to elevate sustainability education.  
  • Research and Impact Framework: Launching impact studies to measure trends and progression of sustainability attitudes.  

Each partner provides expertise, insight, and access to enable the creation of high-quality and standards-aligned dynamic digital resources and will help provide under-resourced schools across the United States no-cost access to the award-winning Discovery Education Experience learning platform.  …Read More

Big Deals: Advanced offerings in curriculum and data analytics, parent communication, remote tutoring, and more

Discovery Education this month acquired DreamBox Learning, a PK-12 education technology provider serving more than 6 million students and 600,000 educators nationwide. Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, DreamBox Learning offers the only dual-discipline solution rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins University’s evidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading. Through its adaptive learning solutions independently proven to accelerate student growth, DreamBox Learning empowers educators with data analytics and content-specific professional development solutions to complement instruction.

DreamBox Learning’s products complement Discovery Education’s other digital solutions, which include Discovery Education Experience, the company’s award-winning K-12 platform, the Techbook series of digital textbooks, Mystery Science, and more, in supporting student achievement. The acquisition of DreamBox Learning comes at a time when school districts are seeking comprehensive, yet consolidated platforms to address a wide range of core and supplemental learning needs, backed by research that underscores meaningful gains in achievement. The addition of DreamBox Learning’s intelligent adaptive learning technology to the Discovery Education suite will provide educators and students with more options for engaging, personalized learning experiences across a variety of disciplines.

DreamBox Learning will be Discovery Education’s most recent acquisition, joining Pivot Interactives and DoodleLearning, which were acquired in August of 2022, and Mystery Science, which was acquired in 2020. …Read More

Clearlake Capital-Backed Discovery Education to Acquire DreamBox Learning  

Charlotte, NC — Discovery Education, a global education technology company backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”), today announced it has agreed to acquire DreamBox Learning®, a PK-12 education technology provider serving more than 6 million students and 600,000 educators nationwide. DreamBox Learning’s current investors Elliott Investment Management L.P. and TPG’s The Rise Fund will retain minority stakes in the company.  Financial terms were not disclosed. 

Headquartered in Bellevue, WA, DreamBox Learning offers the only dual-discipline solution rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins University’s evidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading. Through its high-quality adaptive learning solutions independently proven to accelerate student growth, DreamBox Learning empowers educators with data analytics and content-specific professional development solutions to complement instruction.

“Discovery Education is excited to welcome DreamBox Learning, a brand synonymous with quality, research-based math and reading edtech solutions to our growing family of services,” said Discovery Education Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Cowdrey. “Combining an expertise in learning science with adaptive, effective instructional solutions, DreamBox Learning’s solutions can help students excel regardless of who they are or where they live. Through this latest acquisition, Discovery Education is better positioned to broaden its impact on student success by providing our existing network of partner school systems access to DreamBox Learning’s collection of supplemental math, reading, and professional learning solutions.” …Read More

Arkansas’ LISA Academy Renews Partnership with Global Edtech Leader Supporting Student Success

Charlotte, NC — Arkansas’  LISA Academy public charter school district today announced the renewal of its partnership with worldwide edtech leader  Discovery Education. Thanks to this continued collaboration, students across the LISA Academy district will continue using Discovery Education’s engaging digital and print services to explore their curiosity about all subjects. Discovery Education is the global edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports instruction wherever it takes place. 

Little Scholars of Arkansas (LISA) Academy is a tuition-free public charter school with a comprehensive STEM-focused college preparatory program. Established in 2004, all 11 schools across the state are accredited by the Arkansas Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The district serves over 4,300 students in its mission to provide an academically rigorous college preparatory program that prepares students to succeed in education and in the workplace of their choice. 

LISA Academy’s administration selected Discovery Education’s services because of their ease of use and proven record of quickly engaging students in K-12 subjects. Following their successful debut in LISA Academy classrooms, the charter district renewed the following Discovery Education services for the 2023-2024 school year: …Read More