Positive Results Across the Country
The way the impact deepens over time and isn't just a one-hit wonder is a testament to the power of thoughtfully personalizing learning
San Carlos, CA (PRWEB) September 07, 2016
An analysis of 17,000 students in districts that worked with personalized learning specialist Education Elements showed 142% growth on the NWEA reading exam and 121% growth on the NWEA math exam compared to national norms for the 2015-16 school year. In personalized learning classrooms, 6 out of 10 students’ growth met or exceeded national norms in both reading and math. Additionally, when teachers were asked about the impact of personalized learning, 91% felt it made them more effective. This analysis is outlined in the impact report The Positive Power of Personalized Learning 2015-2016, which is now available for download at http://www.edelements.com.
“We are thrilled to see the success of districts implementing personalized learning,” said Anthony Kim, Founder and CEO of Education Elements. “The increase in academic outcomes, alongside the increase in student engagement and self-direction, is further evidence that through personalized learning we are helping students to thrive now and be better prepared for tomorrow.”
The Enlarged City School District of Middletown (NY) and Horry County Schools (SC) have both demonstrated growth every year for the past three years. Since 2013-14, Middletown students have seen a 37% increase in average reading growth and a 34% increase in math growth alongside a 14 percentage point rise in students meeting or exceeding growth targets in reading and a 17 percentage point rise in math; that's a 33% increase in students hitting their growth targets in reading and a 39% increase in math in three years. Horry County Schools is having similar success. Compared to the 2013-2014 school year, when Horry first piloted personalized learning with one middle school, Horry middle schools have seen a 44% increase in average reading growth and a 32% increase in math growth and a 7 percentage point rise in students meeting or exceeding growth targets in reading and a 10 percentage point rise in math - equating to a 14% increase in students hitting their growth targets in reading and a 21% increase in math.
The report also highlights Uinta County School District One for its growth over two years. Since the 2013-2014 school year, prior to Uinta implementing personalized learning, the district has seen a 5% increase in average reading growth and a 23% increase in math growth and a 4 percentage point rise in students meeting or exceeding growth targets in reading and a 10 percentage point rise in math - equating to a 7% increase in students hitting their growth targets in reading and a 16% increase in math.
“It's heartening to see how much impact on student learning Education Elements is having with its district partners,” said Michael Horn, Co-founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute, and author of the books Blended and Disrupting Class. “The way the impact deepens over time and isn't just a one-hit wonder is a testament to the power of thoughtfully personalizing learning.”
The Impact Report also includes other academic measures of success. At Yuma Elementary District One Schools (AZ), in their first year of implementing personalized learning, Yuma Elementary school students in grades 1-5 grew 10% more in ELA and 24% more in Math, while students in grades 6-8, grew 68% more in ELA and 8% more in Math on the district Galileo benchmark assessments compared to last year. In Greeley-Evans School District 6 (CO), students in grades 2-5 blended classrooms outperformed the district average on every Math and ELA common assessment. Across the district, 56% of blended students scored proficient or advanced on math common assessments, compared to the district average of 49%, and 45% of blended students scored proficient or advanced on ELA common assessments, compared to the district average of 37%. After just one year of implementing personalized learning in their elementary school, Piedmont City School District (AL) saw huge increases in students in grades 3 through 5 scoring College & Career Ready (proficient or above) on the ACT Aspire summative exam: — from 47% in 2014-2015 to 71% in 2015-2016 in math — from 28% in 2014-2015 to 42% in 2015-2016 in reading.
Teachers and leaders in all districts also reported changes to student attitudes towards learning as well as teacher and district capacity. 85% of district leaders say that students are more engaged in class since implementing personalized learning, and 75% of school leaders say that students are taking more ownership of their learning since implementing personalized learning. 78% of teachers agree that students show more self-direction and 70% have seen their students more engaged since they started personalized learning.
Teachers also confided that they consider themselves to be more effective and more satisfied in personalized learning classrooms. 93% of teachers agree that they are able to provide more differentiated instruction with personalized learning and 71% agree that they feel more effective teaching in a personalized learning model.
The complete report, The Positive Power of Personalized Learning, provides additional information on other districts including Syracuse City School District (NY), Metropolitan School District of Warren Township (IN), Loudoun County Schools (VA), DC Public Schools, Fulton County Schools (GA) and Hartford Public Schools (CT) (among others) in addition to a spotlight on the Lexington Education Leadership Award (LELA) Fellowship.
About Education Elements
Education Elements works with districts to build and support dynamic school systems that meet the needs of every learner, today and tomorrow. It takes the time to understand the unique challenges school leaders face, and then customize the Education Elements approach for each district. Since 2010, Education Elements has worked with hundreds of districts across the country and brings deep expertise, design-thinking, expert facilitation and the spirit of collaboration, along with an extensive toolkit of resources and technology, to deliver sustainable results.
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