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LearnPlatform by Instructure, a third-party edtech research company, worked with Discovery Education (formerly DreamBox Learning) to develop a logic model for Reading Park. This logic model provides the program roadmap, program inputs, outputs, activities, and outcomes. The logic model is designed to satisfy Level IV requirements (Demonstrates a Rationale) according to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The next phase in this research is to plan an ESSA Level III study to examine the extent to which Reading Park impacts student achievement.

Reading Park Logic Model Rated Level IV by Evidence for ESSA

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During this on-demand webinar we will review the Reading Park Usage and Standards reports to help you maximize the data in your educator dashboard. In this short webinar, you will learn how to determine if students are meeting your usage goals and how to progress monitor as students complete lessons in Reading Park.

Reading Park Standards and Usage Reports Webinar

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Deepening Elementary Teacher's Content Knowledge in Mathematics

Educational Equity: 6 Ways to Open Opportunity 

Formative Assessment Toolkit

6 Strategies to Help Your Students Become Algebra-Ready

How to Use Data-Driven Instruction to Reach Math Achievement Goals

6 Strategies to Close Math Gaps for ELLs

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“DreamBox was clearly our best tool for remote learning. In a lot of grades, it was our only tool. The kids could navigate DreamBox on their own, and teachers could look at the data generated by DreamBox and know where a student stands.”– Leigh Ann Dixon, District Instructional Coach for K-5 and MTSS CoordinatorAlleghany County sits in northwestern North Carolina, within the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Once called a “lost province” of North Carolina due to its isolation behind a mountain range, the county remains sparsely populated, with a population of around 11,000 people.Alleghany County Schools has three pre-K-8 schools and one high school, with a total student population of around 1,400 and 115 teachers. That small student and teacher population creates a strong sense of community. But the county’s rural nature also presents some challenges. Its large agricultural sector – the second largest employer – utilizes seasonal workers. Often, those workers’ children arrive in a county school late in the school year and may depart early in the year as their parents seek new opportunities. That, and the need for district educators to wear many hats, means students need additional support to have a seamless transition into the classroom.Despite the county’s rural location, the county is surprisingly wired, with 97 percent of households able to access the Internet. As a result, the district had been able to deploy online programs for reading and math. But it wasn’t happy with the math instruction – it often left students feeling frustrated. In fact, even as literacy and language skills were improving in the district, math skills were deteriorating. “Two years ago, our math skills were significantly below the state average,” says Leigh Ann Dixon, the district’s Instructional Coach for grades K-5. “It was kind of shocking.”As a result, in March 2019 the district deployed DreamBox as part of a Paid Pilot Program with the goal of improving students’ math performance. This led to a district-wide purchase and implementation of DreamBox for all Alleghany students, pre-K-8. District leaders were drawn to several aspects of DreamBox. Foremost was its adaptability – DreamBox enables individual, in-the-moment learning experiences that are deeply personalized for each student to provide the right next lesson, at the right level of difficulty, at the right time. That in turn made DreamBox a bargain compared with other supplemental math programs they evaluated. Says Stacy Miller, also a former Instructional Coach and now Assistant Principal at Sparta Elementary School: “We’re a small district so we have to be very conscious of how we spend our money. With DreamBox’s adaptive component, we felt like we were getting more for our money.”<a href="https://www-static.dreambox.com/wp-content/uploads/CustomerSpotlight_AlleghanyCounty.pdf">Download the PDF here.</a>

Learn how rural Alleghany County grew their student’s math scores with DreamBox. Three educators share what drove them to implement a DreamBox pilot, how it was successfully used in their classrooms, and the powerful role DreamBox plays in their remote learning plans. Alleghany County Schools proves that with inspiring teachers and DreamBox Math, even students in remote, rural counties can receive cutting-edge math instruction.

North Carolina District Boosts Math Scores with DreamBox During Distance Learning

Working toward encouraging students to be Global Citizens, Castle View Elementary School teachers promote six basic principles – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Lee Ann Henninger, a teacher at Castle View for the past 19 years,finds that creating a fun and engaging environment for her first-grade students and utilizing DreamBox to enhance their learning are pivotal parts in this pedagogy.As a longtime teacher with experience teaching almost every elementary grade level, Ms. Henninger has a passion for education and a dedication to her students. She aims to cultivate a fun learning environment within her classroom to keep her 19 first-grade students engaged throughout the day. Chants, songs, cute sayings, and idioms help the students remember what they learn. Rarely will you find Ms. Henninger sitting.Focusing on even the smallest details to motivate her students, she keeps moving and avoids speaking in a monotone voice to captivate her students’ attention.While she admits that technology isn’t her strong suit, she has found DreamBox to be easy and highly valuable. She strives to utilize fun and engaging material that can help her students succeed and has found just that in DreamBox. By incorporating DreamBox into her classroom, it has become a fundamental tool and a core supplement to her lessons.Ms. Henninger communicates regularly with the students and parents about her expectations, always mindful that it’s a collaborative process that needs buy-in from everyone and approaches it with a “team” mentality. These clearly definedexpectations ensure everyone knows what’s going on, and she sees “rewards happen consistently” from this extra effort. Communicating with the parents is a vital part of how Ms. Henninger runs her classroom.From classroom updates to student encouragement, she reaches out to parents, so that they feel included. By sending home informationalliterature explaining how to access DreamBox for their children at home and encouraging them to review the Family Insight Dashboard to track their child’s progress, Ms. Henninger is making parents active participants in their child’s education. Parents can help their child to navigate the program without having to worry that they’re teaching them incorrectly.Read the rest of the spotlight&nbsp;<a href="http://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/CUST-VOC-Castle-View-Elementary.pdf">here.</a>

Riverside Unified School District

This story features DreamBox advocate and standout teacher Ms. Henninger from Riverside Unified School District. Ms. Henninger shares her perspectives on the importance of teacher loyalty/engagement, parent involvement, and how it helps drives optimal student usage on DreamBox, as well as parent buy-in and support. In this story you’ll learn how she:
o Leverages the Student Overview Report within the Educator Dashboard to stay informed on her student’s growth and progress,
o Understands how important family involvement is and makes it a priority to educate her student’s parents on the benefits of DreamBox,
o Promotes a growth mindset and encourages her students to believe in their unlimited potential.

Pedagogy in Practice, Supporting the Whole Student & Making it Fun at the Same Time

West Fargo Public Schools (WFPS) is the fastest growing school district in the state of North Dakota, with an average increase of 400-600 students each academic year. Keeping up with that kind of growth is a challenge—both fiscally and academically. Right now, close to 10 percent of the WFPS student population are English Language Learners (ELLs) and they speak nearly 60 different languages.In 2016, the district began using DreamBox in their Welcome Center, a special K–5 learning environment expressly designed to help students new to the country with little or no English language skills. The goal was to help accelerate math learning for ELLs so when they transitioned to one of the district’s regular classrooms they’d be closer to grade-level proficiency. DreamBox proved so effective, the WFPS has since rolled the program out districtwide to all 13 elementary schools.Going beyond speed drills and digitized worksheetsIn WFPS, the schools don’t get funding to support new enrollment until the year after students enter the system. That can be a challenge when you’re adding half a thousand kids to the roster each year.When Jill Leier, the district’s elementary math and science coordinator, started looking at digital math solutions, she knew WFPS needed a program that served up more than just the usual speed drills and digitized worksheets. They needed a practical solution that could not only help teach learners 21st century problem-solving skills, but that could also function as a much-needed extra set of hands in every classroom—a program that could help teachers differentiate and build capacity.Leier used her own training on math pathways and how kids learn as a litmus test for evaluating digital solutions. While much of what she tested missed the mark, DreamBox&nbsp;really nailed it. Leier says she was impressed by, “the research, pedagogy, and attention to detail, especially the way DreamBox collects data for every student and adjusts each lesson to be just-right learning.”She and her team were drawn to DreamBox because it had third-party research findings to back up its claims of efficacy. Plus, right out of the gate, teachers recognized a correlation between DreamBox and the other components of the district’s guaranteed and viable curriculum and resources they were already using in their classrooms. This, coupled with the early successes enjoyed by ELLs in theWelcome Center, helped to seal the deal.Overcoming the biggest hurdles: money and time &nbsp;While securing buy-in from the WFPS curriculum committee to use DreamBox districtwide was easy, finding the money to make it happen took a little more work. Leier says teachers and parents in her district fought hard to get DreamBox for their students, “PTAs and PTOs scraped, borrowed, begged, and fundraised.”Once they managed to find the funds, teachers had to be equally creative about finding 15- to 20-minute pockets of class time in an already tight schedule to get kids on the learning platform. Since the district isn’t 1:1 with devices, teachers make the most of small group rotations and lab time. Leier also recommends teachers leverage those small intervals of “downtime” like at the very beginning of the day when kids are settling in to hop on DreamBox.Of course, it helps that kids love playing DreamBox, “What I hear over and over again from teachers, is that the kids are begging to go on DreamBox,” says Leier. “It’s engaging, with just enough incentives and rewards to keep kids coming back. It not only teaches students to persevere, but it builds confidence in kids who might otherwise struggle—especially ELLs.”Embracing the idea that mathematical&nbsp;thinking matters mostWFPS, like most districts, uses standardized assessments to monitor learner progress. Three times a year they measure student proficiency in math using the North Dakota State Assessment (NDSA), STAR Math, and FastBridge. Assessments like these help administrators make decisions about additional services for learners and provide a check on the effectiveness of curriculum and resources. While every district answers to stakeholders, research shows teaching to the test isn’t the ideal way to drive achievement.Jill Leier thinks the best way to ace the assessments is to understand math. “I think at a school or classroom level, what matters most is mathematical thinking and a student’s ability to apply flexible math strategies … when kids understand the basics of number sense and how numbers work the assessments take care of themselves. And DreamBox helps them do just that.”Heather Sand, director of K–12 curriculum and instruction, agrees and says DreamBox is helping to support the WFPS district’s stated mission to ensure that all students have the mathematical skills and strategies needed in a 21st century education. “DreamBox is helping us prepare today’s learners for tomorrow’s world with curriculum that builds those critical problem-solving skills these kids will need to succeed down the road,” remarks Sand. “Plus, DreamBox is also helping our teachers be more successful in their instruction and practice.”Empowering teachers to be more targeted in their practiceDreamBox is helping to transform the way WFPS teachers look at numeracy, helping them to shift from an antiquated teaching model that favors memorization to one that fosters a true understanding of mathematics through personalized learning experiences.To read the rest of the spotlight, <a href="http://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/CS-2018-10-nd-west-fargo-public-schools.pdf">click here</a>.

<h3>West Fargo Public Schools Fast Facts</h3>

In 2016, West Fargo Public Schools began using DreamBox in their Welcome Center, a special K–5 learning environment expressly designed to help students new to the country with little or no English language skills. DreamBox proved so effective, the WFPS has since rolled the program out districtwide to all 13 elementary schools

How West Fargo differentiates math instruction for a diverse and rapidly expanding student population

<h3>Challenge</h3>For Southwest Allen County Schools in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a focus on closing learning gaps meant adjusting instruction to give students more opportunities to use and apply mathematics. Recognizing that shifting math learning toward a more personalized approach was necessary, the district strived to find a solution that empowered both educators with in-depth knowledge of each student while also providing individual students with learning opportunities adapted to their level of readiness.<h3>Solution</h3>District administrators, principals and teachers decided that a digital program that enables differentiation and personalization was required. Any instructional resource they used would have to effectively address learning gaps, enable enrichment, and provide individualized, curated instruction.&nbsp;The district reviewed a number of different programs, including Dreambox Learning Math. Through the evaluation process, the district found that DreamBox was the most effective tool to empower their teachers to differentiate instruction and personalize learning for each student. DreamBox reports also allowed the district to easily track student learning growth and proficiency against standards.Recognizing that using adaptive learning technologies would be new for many teachers, the district spearheaded a pilot program for teachers interested in trying DreamBox in their classroom. Over 100 teachers participated in the pilot. What immediately differentiated DreamBox from other programs was clear to Simmers and the teachers. “Students are constantly assessed through the math play and are then delivered lessons that are appropriate for them, at their individual level of readiness. It’s not about memorization or repetition, but deep understanding of mathematical concepts. It’s about learning,” says Simmers. With unanimous positive feedback during the first year of implementation, DreamBox became a key component of the district’s math instructional framework during the 2015–16 school year.<h3>Implementation</h3>Southwest Allen County Schools have a one-to-one ratio for students and technology so the expectation to utilize technology in and out of the classroom as a means of growth and development is both encouraged and expected. Because the success of any program is dependent on it being used with fidelity, Dr. Simmers and a DreamBox Learning Professional Development Specialist created a customized professional development plan for teacher enrichment focused on the practical application of effectively leveraging technology as a key element of their math instructional framework and how to use the valuable insights and information about their students to further customize their own instruction.Once they were up and running with the program, educators used DreamBox during one-on-one and small group instruction in the classroom. Additionally, they used it as way to continue the momentum of math learning when school was closed to inclement weather. “The one-to-one initiative coupled with the highquality curriculum offered by DreamBox allowed us to continue the momentum of math learning during days when schools were closed due to inclement weather,” says Simmers. “During these eLearning days, students are expected to sign into DreamBox and complete lessons that support what would have been covered in class or as part of their small group instruction.” The added benefit is the teachers can see which lessons students have completed, and how they are progressing.<h3>Results</h3>After a successful pilot year and subsequent first full year of implementation across all 114 Southwest Allen County Schools classrooms,&nbsp;DreamBox will continue to be used to support core math instruction.“Our students’ overall growth in math as measured by a variety of assessments (i.e., NWEA, classroom assessments) has increased based upon our usage of DreamBox, the implementation of a guided math framework and quality core instruction. Teachers know and are able to talk about their students as mathematicians with the use of formative data from DreamBox as well as use this information to scaffold and personalize instruction to help ensure the growth of all students.”

Now in its second year of district-wide implementation, teachers at all six elementary schools in Southwest Allen County Schools are finding success with DreamBox. Students are experiencing overall growth on the NWEA MAP assessment and teachers consider DreamBox Learning to be a key component of that success.

DreamBox’s Personalized Approach to Educator Professional Development

<h3>Challenge</h3>Ensuring all students meet rigorous standardsThe Fayette County Public School (FCPS) system, located in Fayette County, Georgia, comprises twenty-four schools in five communities, including fourteen elementary and five middle schools. Several years ago, the district began implementing the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE), which include a new statewide math curriculum that places greater emphasis on problem solving, reasoning, representation, connections, and communication.To effectively meet the rigorous requirements of GSE, the district emphasized an instructional approach and new tools to support this effort. FCPS leadership supported an effort to make small group instruction a key teaching strategy districtwide—and they chose DreamBox to support the approach and round out their tech rotation.Mark Henderson, instructional coordinator of mathematics, explains the impetus to shift focus from larger classroom instruction to smaller groups is the most practical way to connect with students at all levels, “Standing and delivering a lecture to a room full of second graders is far less impactful than working one-on-one with kids and with small groups.”Henderson credits elementary instructional support teacher Josh Noland with helping Fayette County K-5 math educators adopt a fresh mindset and successfully implementing such teaching practice centered around small group instruction. Noland was part of the team that initially identified DreamBox as a support tool, piloted the system in three elementary schools, and then subsequently helped implement DreamBox districtwide.“We were looking for a digital program that promoted a deeper conceptual understanding of math,” explains Noland. “DreamBox was the only one we felt represented the thinking that we wanted our kids to have: it worked well to identify prerequisite skills and to truly individualize learning and processes while providing exposure to standards.”<h3>Solution</h3>Using DreamBox to support students at all levels of academic readiness Once FCPS staff selected DreamBox, they began rolling it out in three pilot locations. In Fayette County, most of the elementary schools serve affluent communities with high-performing students, yet there is still a very diverse student population. With this in mind, FCPS leadership made a conscious decision to test DreamBox in varied settings to see how the technology might prove most useful.For the first nine weeks, Noland visited the three pilot schools regularly and walked teachers through the basics of what DreamBox is and how it works. He showed them how to log on, what to expect, and how they could promote effective use of DreamBox within their community. Over the course of the second nine weeks, he dove into the Insights Dashboard, showing teachers how they could monitor data, track student progress, and leverage the Assignments feature, which enables teachers to easily create focused assignments using real-time proficiency data about each student.To their delight, teachers with disparate needs found that DreamBox was equally effective at both acceleration and remediation. With DreamBox, high achieving students gained a different access point for content at and above grade level, something families and schools continually seek.&nbsp; Students with learning challenges, those served through MTSS/RTI, EL and students with disabilities, were able to receive the individualized instruction on the foundational concepts they needed, along with appropriate practice for mastery.<h3>Results</h3>Growth doubles on Star Math® AssessmentAfter a successful pilot, Noland spearheaded the full-on implementation of DreamBox in all fourteen Fayette County elementary schools. The district currently uses Star Math for screening, progress monitoring, and diagnostic assessment of general math achievement—and Star validates the results they’re seeing from DreamBox. The scaled score growth from Fall 2016 to Spring 2017 of students in Grades 1–7 who completed at least five DreamBox lessons per week was 97 percent higher than the STAR growth of student who didn’t use DreamBox. Noland says, “DreamBox is having a positive impact in the two areas where we had problems: exposing high-performing students to advanced topics and providing struggling students with the targeted support they need to catch up.” Furthermore, approximately 80 percent of Fayette County’s K–5 math teachers are now fully and consistently on board with small group instruction and DreamBox. Most educators confidently engage in routine, small group models using DreamBox as a key part of their rotation.

The scaled score growth from Fall 2016 to Spring 2017 of students in Grades 1–7 who completed at least five DreamBox lessons per week was 97 percent higher than the STAR growth of student who didn’t use DreamBox. Furthermore, approximately 80 percent of Fayette County’s K–5 math teachers are now fully and consistently on board with small group instruction and DreamBox. Most educators confidently engage in routine, small group models using DreamBox as a key part of their rotation.

Fayette County Doubles Growth

Castillo believes that teachers have been able to embrace new technology and teaching practices because the change has been gradual, and everyone has had access to DreamBox and other tech tools. As she says, “The schools that weren’t 1:1 yet used DreamBox in their computer labs, which enabled them to ease into this new tool for teaching and learning.”New teachers participate in a DreamBox PD session to get familiar with the basics. They’re also encouraged to take advantage of webinars and DreamBox’s data-driven, embedded MyFlexPD™ modules to deepen their content knowledge in mathematics in ways that are relevant to their students’ specific learning goals and challenges. Some schools have learning coaches or numeracy coaches who hold weekly or biweekly meetings with teachers. Castillo also served as a hands-on coach, meeting with teams of teachers to assist them in their DreamBox implementation, data planning, and data interpretation.“All of this PD has really allowed us to meet teachers where they are,” says Castillo.To view the full spotlight and see the results, <a href="http://go.dreambox.com/rs/715-ORW-647/images/CS-2017-11-mo-springfield-public-schools.pdf">click here</a>.

<h3>Springfield&nbsp;Fast Facts</h3>

Springfield Public Schools is in the midst of implementing a three-year, districtwide, IGNITE initiative. The goal of IGNITE (which stands for Inspire, Grow, Network, Integrate, Transform, and Engage) is to provide the resources and support necessary for all teachers and students to access and experience an engaging, relevant, and personalized learning environment.

Empowering Missouri’s Largest District to Meet Teachers and Students Where They Are

<div>DreamBox Learning marketing team.</div>

<h2>Four principles for effective math intervention, plus how technology gives RtI a boost!</h2>&nbsp;One authority on Response to Intervention (RtI) for math is the Institute for Education Sciences report, “Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools.” This <a href="http://www.ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practice_guides/rti_math_pg_042109.pdf#page=27">groundbreaking “what works for RtI” report</a>, published over a decade ago, outlines a series of eight generalized intervention recommendations grounded in research-based evidence. Although all of these recommendations are valuable and need to be considered, only four were judged to have strong or moderate evidence to support RtI, and they still provide the foundation for effective math intervention. Here are specific strategies that fall under these four key recommendations:<h3>1. Instruction during the intervention should be explicit and systematic.</h3>This recommendation from the report includes providing models of proficient problem solving, verbalization of thought processes, guided practice, corrective feedback, and frequent cumulative review.Students who have been classified as Tier 2 or 3 in RtI need their instruction to be organized and scaffolded. They lack the numeracy skills and background knowledge to engage in theoretical exercises with math.Nothing is more systematic than the four-step approach to problem solving, first outlined by educator George Polya in 1945:<ol><li>Understand the Problem. Restate the problem, and then identify the information given and the information that needs to be determined.</li><li>Make a Plan. Relate the problem to similar problems solved in the past. Consider possible strategies, and then select a strategy or a combination of strategies.</li><li>Carry Out the Plan. Execute the chosen strategy and perform the necessary calculations. Revise and apply different strategies as necessary.</li><li>Look Back at the Solution. Evaluate the strategy/strategies used for problem solving, and then assess if there is a better way to approach the problem.</li></ol>This four-step approach helps students to become confident, independent learners, and is an effective <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/blog/math-interventions-that-help-build-foundational-skills">math intervention that builds foundational skills</a>.<h3>2. Interventions should include instruction on solving word problems that is based on common underlying structures.</h3>A stripped-down version of the Gradual Release Model—the “I do, We do, You do” strategy—is effective in all levels of education. As RtI students require as much structure as possible, the strategy gives them an effective way to know what to expect from a lesson. In word problems, not only can “I do, We do, You do” be used to solve problems, it can also be used to have students create their own word problems, reaching synthesis, a higher level of taxonomy. Students should start with sentences that involve a specific math operation and build from there. (McCarney, S. B., Cummins Wunderlich, K., Bauer, A. The Teacher’s Resource Guide.)<h3>3. Intervention materials should include opportunities for students to work with visual representations of mathematical ideas.</h3>This recommendation from the RtI report goes on to say that interventionists should be proficient in the use of visual representations of mathematical ideas. Graphics are important in math instruction, especially as the curriculum becomes more data-based under the Common Core State Standards. RtI students are not excluded from having to be able to read charts, graphs, and other math graphics. <a href="http://www.interventioncentral.org/">Intervention Central</a>, which provides educators with free RtI resources, has a great intervention that uses the Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) to help students break down math graphics. In short, QARs come in four types:<ol><li>Right There questions are found explicitly in the graphic.</li><li>Think and Search questions are not quite as explicit, but still can be found in the graphic with some close analysis.</li><li>Author and You questions ask students to compare the data with their own life experiences and opinions.</li><li>On My Own questions require only the student’s own knowledge and experience to answer.</li></ol><h3>4. Interventions at all grade levels should devote about 10 minutes in each session to building fluent retrieval of basic arithmetic facts.</h3>Rehearsal of math facts is a key step in the RtI process because many of the students who fall into Tier 2 or 3 status are missing key pieces of background information, usually in the form of math facts.Taking ten minutes each day to review facts is typically done with flash cards, which can be tedious and, therefore, does not always prove to be effective. Another strategy, described by Intervention Central, uses flash-card practice that balances “known” facts with “unknown” facts. Unknown facts are modeled by a teacher or tutor and then presented with known facts—those already mastered by the student—in a sequence. Not only does this systematically build recall, it also builds confidence in the student because they are consistently getting cards correct throughout the process.<h3>Using Technology to Boost RtI for Math</h3>Digital curriculum, at its best, incorporates the scaffolds and <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/blog/what-is-math-formative-assessment">formative assessment</a> that define successful RtI for math. Personalized learning and ongoing, robust data collection provide a meaningful feedback loop for both the student and teacher that leads to deeper learning and higher achievement. Real-time feedback—while learning is happening—is critical so that students don’t practice new math skills, again and again, incorrectly.<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/blog/technological-tools-interventions-boost-math-achievement">Technological interventions to boost math achievement</a> can be an important part of a successful math intervention. For example, S. L. Mason Elementary School in Valdosta, Georgia adopted a digital curriculum for math at the beginning of the 2013–14 school year. After just one year of implementation, scores improved by more than 10 percentage points. Now, that’s a <a href="http://www.dreambox.com/case-studies/making-an-impact-with-rti">math intervention success story</a>!

Learn more about RtI by downloading our free white paper<a href="http://www.dreambox.com/white-papers/dreambox_math_intervention_and_the_promise_of_adaptive_learning">: Math Intervention and the Promise of Adaptive Learning.</a>

One authority on Response to Intervention (RtI) for math is the Institute for Education Sciences report, “Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Response to Intervention (RtI) for Elementary and Middle Schools.”

RtI for Math: What Works?

<h3>Results at a Glance</h3>After using DreamBox Learning Math in their math intervention programs for one year, NWEA MAP® scores across the board have improved in DeKalb Central School District. Additionally, district interventionists report that growth is occurring for all of their students. DreamBox, combined with quality Tier 1 instruction and small-group instruction, is credited for increasing students’ comprehension of math.

<h3>Challenge</h3>Close Learning Gaps with At-Risk Students and Promote Overall District Growth in MathDeKalb Central School District administrators identified that a percentage of their students required math intervention when results on the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress Plus (ISTEP+) showed less than ideal performance in mathematics. Furthermore, MAP data revealed that even the 75 to 80 percent of students performing at or above grade level demonstrated learning gaps that prevented them from mastering more challenging concepts.With the goal of pinpointing the root of the problematic gaps, district and school administrators embarked on a path to increase learning outcomes. It wasn’t an easy task and would require a long-term solution that would universally help students across all grade levels.<h3>Solution</h3>Use formative data to provide targeted interventionAfter careful review, a collective group of district leaders decided to implement a math intervention program, which consists of providing one-on-one support for students performing in their grade’s lowest quartile, in addition to their classroom instruction. DreamBox Learning Math was selected as a core component of the intervention program because of its ability to identify and close learning gaps by providing rigorous curriculum aligned to the readiness of individual students.Rather than providing predefined learning progressions, DreamBox uses formative data to deliver specific feedback and scaffolding based on each student’s actions and strategies taken in the moment of learning. This level of adapting promotes developing missed skills, students have become even more successful, resulting in conceptual understanding across grade levels and math topics. By identifying and learning growth for students at all abilities—from those requiring math intervention to those performing at or above grade level.Excited by her students’ success, Math Intervention Teacher Anna Wiley appreciates that DreamBox supports her in meeting the needs of students. The program surfaces student learning data in a format that makes it easy to identify their learning hurdles and drive both small-group and individual instruction tailored to student needs.<h3>Results</h3>Increased NWEA MAP ScoresAfter using DreamBox Learning Math as part of their math intervention programs for one year, NWEA scores across the board have improved in DeKalb Central School District. Additionally, district interventionists report that growth is occurring for all of their students. This increase in math comprehension is credited to DreamBox usage, quality Tier 1 instruction, and small-group instruction.“Because of our concerted effort to use DreamBox as part of our Intervention Program, we are closing the gaps in learning,” says Julia Tipton, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist. With unanimously positive results in the intervention program, DeKalb Central School District now uses DreamBox Learning across all K–5 classes in the district’s four elementary schools.

After using DreamBox Learning Math in their math intervention programs for one year, NWEA MAP® scores across the board have improved in DeKalb Central School District. Additionally, district interventionists report that growth is occurring for all of their students.

From intervention to universal growth

<h3>Challenge</h3>Equity for all students“We desperately needed a K–8 continuum solution to provide equity for our students, especially in Tier 2 and 3. It’s hard to find a program that would provide the instructional data we needed to make decisions about these students that could also do targeted intervention instruction,” says district RtI coordinator Cindy Matherly.Six years ago, nearly one in five of the 7,500 students in the suburban Jessamine County Schools in central Kentucky qualified for special services. To address this situation, the district administration focused on implementing a Response to Intervention (RtI) plan that identifies struggling students early and accelerates learning for students with tiered levels of intervention and support matched to student needs. Finding the right curricular solution proved to be a challenge for the district.<h3>Solution</h3>A personalized math learning solution“Our goal is to build the stamina of the Tier 2 and 3 students in order to see measurable gains in student learning throughout the year,” remarked Matherly. The willingness to make mistakes, persist, and work through to solutions are a major factor in mathematics proficiency and success. In the fall of the 2014–2015 school year, after thorough evaluation, district administrators adopted DreamBox Learning® Math to create momentum and accelerate math learning, and to act as a key curriculum component to support middle school students in need of remediation and intervention.In West Jessamine middle school, students in need of additional support spend one of their electives in an intervention class that remediates their skills. DreamBox is the primary math curriculum used by students in this class. “Students have the option to complete work from their regular math class; however, most choose to play DreamBox. The topics that are scary or hard for them are achievable in DreamBox because they have the support they need to fill gaps from many grades back,” reported David Nelson, intervention specialist at West Jessamine Middle School.The adaptivity of DreamBox ensures that every student, regardless of whether they are Tier 1, 2, or 3, receives the right level of instruction, at the right time. DreamBox continuously assesses understanding and identifies where students need the most help. Using this data, DreamBox delivers lessons that guide them across those conceptual gaps, no matter how far back those gaps might be in relation to their grade level. “With 32 students in my class, knowing what each student is doing at any given moment is a challenge,” acknowledges Nelson. “The detailed information I have access to about each student’s learning saves me time and enables me to differentiate instruction appropriately.”In middle school, engagement drives learner dedication“This is the first middle school intervention we’ve used that actually respects the age of the students. They never want to stop using it. They use it at home, and are getting themselves up earlier to play DreamBox during Breakfast Club,” added Matherly.This kind of dedication on the students’ part doesn’t happen without engagement. Students who need the kind of support RtI provides have struggled throughout their school careers. The urge to give up can be very quick to appear. DreamBox helps students work through that urge, with deep engagement that fuels persistence and math excitement. “There was instant engagement, instant interest. It is new and exciting for me to see them being so positive about math,” said Nelson.<h3>Results</h3>Experiencing success motivates learnersAs the result of a commitment to proactively address the number of students needing special services by implementing a district-wide RtI program, students with disabilities now make up only 14 percent of the population in Jessamine County Schools—a six percentage point decrease since 2009.Continuing the momentum from previous years, student engagement in DreamBox has translated into learning progress for RtI students. Not only are students attending class more regularly and completing assignments, they are closing math learning gaps. In fewer than four months, middle school students experienced half a grade level of growth within the DreamBox Learning curriculum and are making steady progress toward closing learning gaps.“Some of our eighth graders’ skills start breaking down at multiplication and division. After a couple of months, there was noticeable growth that the students and I could both see.” Nelson simplified what was working: “These are kids who have never been successful. In DreamBox they are seeing success and they are motivated and excited to reach even higher levels.”

In fewer than four months, middle school students experienced half a grade level of growth within the DreamBox Learning curriculum and are making steady progress toward closing learning gaps.

Engagement and Motivation Speed Learning Gains

<h2>Game-based motivating math instruction</h2><h3>Challenge</h3>Bolstering achievement for early elementary learnersTheodore Roosevelt Elementary in Houston has a long history of academic success, even when faced with what appear to be demographic challenges: 90 percent of their students are at poverty level and 40 percent are English Language Learners (ELL). The school is also home to a Vanguard magnet program for gifted and talented learners that enriches the education of those students through project-based learning.When STAAR scores took a sudden and dramatic downturn among their third grade students last year, the school’s leadership, including principal Yolanda Rodriguez and instructional specialist Rodolfo Ramos, realized they needed a new approach. One that—in the face of diverse abilities and changing state standards—differentiated instruction for their early primary students.<h3>Solution</h3>Instruction for evolving standardsDreamBox is a leader in differentiated math instruction. Because of the game-based and visual environment, the solution is particularly effective in diverse, multilingual implementations such as Roosevelt.“We also wanted something that supported our evolving TEKS state standards and built early numeracy and fluency skills,” said Rodriguez. The system also needed to be highly motivating, as at-risk students can quickly lose their enthusiasm when they are faced with challenges. With the differentiated approach featured by DreamBox, students remain challenged consistently and effectively.<h3>Implementation</h3>Addressing early numeracy for diverse learners<blockquote>“Teachers know that when their students are working independently, they are engaged in authentic learning that is rigorous and relevant.”— Rodolfo Ramos, Instructional Specialist</blockquote>To address early primary numeracy skills, DreamBox is used in kindergarten, first, and second grade at Roosevelt. The primary usage comes from classroom workstations during Response to Intervention (RtI) time, with the target being 30 minutes of usage for each student every week. Some teachers also assign lessons as homework for students who can access DreamBox at home. Some classrooms offer DreamBox on the iPad™ as a reward for positive behavior. “It helps to gauge mastery of math skills and identify areas that need to be retaught. It also identifies students with conceptual gaps,” reported Rodriguez. Our bilingual classes are using DreamBox especially consistently. Because it’s so visually rich, it keeps ELL students highly engaged and teachers particularly like how it spirals instruction for students.”Perhaps the largest change for Roosevelt teachers has been how DreamBox has improved their instruction. “When the kids are online with DreamBox, the teachers can see exactly what they are working on, so they can redirect or reinforce their learning. It lets the teacher be a facilitator because DreamBox is personalizing each child’s learning,” said Ramos. “Teachers know that when their students are working independently, they are engaged in authentic learning that is rigorous and relevant.”<h3>Results</h3>Laying the groundwork for long-term successEven though Roosevelt’s implementation is new, and the students being targeted are not subject to statewide testing, the staff is already starting to see results. “Our K–2 students just took a common district assessment aligned with the curriculum maps. We noticed beneficial correlations between the kids who had used DreamBox consistently and those who hadn’t. It was definitely beneficial to those students that used the program,” Rodriguez asserted.Reflective of a school that knows how to achieve student success in a variety of learners, Roosevelt has a long-term plan when it comes to DreamBox. This year’s second graders will have a more solid foundation in early numeracy and fluency skills, and that should reflect in their achievement as third graders. By the time this year’s kindergarteners are in third grade, they should be leading a math revolution at Roosevelt.

DreamBox offered the differentiated math instruction and engaging visual environment that is effective in a diverse, multilingual implementation to lay the groundwork for long-term success.

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