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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.

South Carolina Adds Classworks® Universal Screener to State-approved Literacy Screener List

Duluth, GA – Classworks Universal Screener for Reading, an NCII-validated formal assessment used to measure grade-level readiness, is approved by South Carolina as a high-quality Literacy Screener. The best-in-class academic screener is on the  approved list for the 2022-23 school year.

In 2019, South Carolina implemented Act 213, requiring all districts to implement Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). When implemented effectively, an MTSS framework addresses the whole child, including students’ academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs. To support school districts in choosing high-quality resources to support MTSS, the state provided a list of approved screeners. 

“Classworks is a perfect fit for the South Carolina Literacy List list due to the validity and reliability of our widely-adopted screening assessment,” notes Melissa Sinunu, Classworks President and Chief Operating Officer. “As an all-in-one MTSS solution, we share South Carolina’s vision to address the needs of the whole child. We look forward to working closely with South Carolina districts to achieve that goal using Classworks. Our platform makes it simple for teachers and effective for students.”…Read More

IXL Learning Acquires Emmersion, Developer of AI-Powered Language Assessments

SAN MATEO, Calif. and LEHI, Utah  — IXL Learning, developer of personalized learning products used by millions of people worldwide, announced it has acquired Emmersion, the Utah-based leader in certifying language ability through artificial intelligence. Emmersion’s platform has conducted millions of automated assessments for corporate and educational institutions, including The World Bank, Randstad, Columbia University, Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania, providing valuable data insights into language proficiency scores. 

The acquisition of Emmersion deepens IXL Learning’s line of language and literacy products, which include the world-renowned Rosetta Stone, IXL English Language Arts, Vocabulary.com, SpanishDict, inglés.com and Fluencia. Emmersion’s cofounders, Brigham Tomco and Dr. Jacob Burdis, will remain with the company. 

Accurately establish language skills with AI…Read More

Arizona Department of Education Names 95 Percent Group an Approved K-3 Reading Improvement Program

Lincolnshire, Ill. – 95 Percent Group LLC, a leading provider of literacy solutions and instructional strategies for K-12 schools nationwide, announced today that the Arizona Department of Education approved its 95 Phonics Core Program™ as a supplemental literacy curriculum and its Phonological Awareness Lessons, Phonics Lesson Library™ and Phonics Chip Kit as early literacy intervention resources. Schools in Arizona can now find 95 Percent Group’s evidence-based products on their state list of reading improvement programs and begin using them immediately. 

The approval was based upon new, state-reviewed efficacy research confirming that 95 Percent Group’s foundational reading products meet Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Level 1-3 evidence requirement for reading instruction. The criteria were established by the Arizona Department of Education as part of its Move On When Reading initiative, an effort to provide all readers with specific, targeted instruction and interventions so that they are reading at or above grade level by the end of the 3rd grade. 

“95 Percent Group believes that evidence-based reading instruction is essential in schools. We have long invested in research that demonstrates the efficacy of our offerings,” said Brad Lindaas, Chief Executive Officer. “The Arizona Department of Education has been a key partner for us for many years, and today’s news will only strengthen our ability to support educators state-wide in promoting the development of early reading skills for all students. With this development, we expect it will be easier for more districts in Arizona to learn about and benefit from our evidence-based products,” he added. …Read More

Toilet Paper Hands: Empowering Students With Skills-Based Economic Education to Accelerate Financial Literacy

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Creators of Toilet Paper Hands Online Educational Program are responding to exploding demand for online education with innovative edutech: changing the game in economic education so students can keep up with the acceleration of web3 in a post-pandemic economy, redefining what it is to be financially independent.

CULTIVATING 21st-CENTURY SKILLS

TPH is the only pre-packaged economics curriculum currently available for students and educators that includes content on decentralized finance. Through human-centered storytelling and gamified learning, TPH creators deliver lessons in financial literacy, blockchain technology and investing concepts to bridge the gap between current economic education and the opportunities of web3.…Read More

3 reasons literacy is essential in child development

Literacy is a fundamental element of a child’s development. Literacy means much more than just knowing how to read a book. It can also impact the ability for a child to learn other subjects, to understand road signs when driving or crossing the street, and can be a major contributor to a child living a fulfilling life into adulthood.

Despite its importance, two out of every 10 children enter kindergarten with skills two to three years lower than their grade level, and another two start school with a one-year disadvantage, according to the Children’s Reading Foundation. Students who are behind typically make only one year’s worth of progress at each grade level, keeping them behind their classmates throughout school and making them more likely to repeat grades, according to ProLiteracy.org.

Today, literacy is evolving into much more than the ability to read the newspaper or the latest bestseller. It is linked to things like graduation rates, socio-economic status, and even the development of social-emotional skills like empathy. …Read More

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More than 200,000 Students and Educators Across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Use Lexia Learning’s Programs to Boost Literacy Rates

BOSTON – During the 2021-22 school year, Lexia® Learning, a Cambium Learning® Group company, supported over 200,000 students and teachers throughout Massachusetts with instructional and professional learning programs. Hundreds of schools, ranging from Boston Public to the small coastal town of Ipswich and the diverse city of Brockton, used Lexia’s literacy offerings to help learners read and speak with confidence.

More than 166,600 students across 939 schools used Lexia® Core5® Reading (Core5) to drive progress in their literacy learning during the school year. Core5 provides students in prekindergarten through fifth grade with explicit, systematic instruction through personalized learning paths in six areas of reading. Progress reports revealed significant results. Among students meeting usage targets, the percentage working on skills two or more grades below their grade level was reduced from 18% to 4%. The percentage working on or above grade level increased from 48% to 87%.

Massachusetts educators also used Lexia products to expand their teaching skills. More than 1,500 teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators participated in professional learning sessions provided by the Lexia LETRS ® (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) suite of programs. Lexia LETRS provides educators with deep knowledge and develops their expertise in literacy and language instruction based on the science of reading. Almost all the respondents (94%) in Lexia’s feedback survey said that the programs enhanced their ability to use research-based practices. More importantly, 95% said they’d be able to apply the skills and concepts they’d learned.…Read More