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Success Stories
School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties, South Carolina
The overarching vision for the district is to provide educational programs that challenge and stimulate thinking and problem-solving to foster superior achievement. To enhance that vision, the schools use DreamBox Math in K-8.
The district focus is on the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) conditional growth target and academic growth throughout the schools. Professional Development increased teachers’ comfort levels and helped them more effectively use Intelligent Adaptive Learning platform and the reports that show student usage, achievement, and progress. PD is ongoing and on demand, according to the district math specialist, district math coordinator, and the Harbison West Elementary assistant principal and math coach. “Our math coach frequently schedules time with [DreamBox] consultants based on questions received by our teachers,” says the assistant principal. “This has helped teachers get answers they need as well as help us as a school better understand some reports and how best to use them.”
To keep the district’s momentum going, schools share school-level data with administration to monitor and encourage usage. The initiatives aimed at promoting usage have been successful due to various strategies implemented. These strategies encompass recognizing the achievements of exceptional teachers by awarding the top teacher at each school based on lesson completion rates. Additionally, monthly acknowledgments are given to schools that demonstrate the highest usage levels and noteworthy growth, either in terms of standards achieved or overall progress made since the start of the academic year.
Harbison West Elementary, a Title I and gifted and talented magnet elementary school, embraces DreamBox Math in a big way. The school requested and participated in an internal pilot using NWEA assignments in DreamBox in Math. The focus was to increase student achievement by providing differentiation for all students.
Administrators, coaches, and teachers paid close attention to using DreamBox Math to its highest potential for the students. They correlated Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) MAP scores with the students’ assigned lessons to be more intentional when addressing unfinished learning.
Districtwide there’s an emphasis on completing the recommended number of lessons to improve students’ abilities. They use DreamBox Math in conjunction with regular math curriculum to be a tool to help in differentiation and small-group instruction. All students are expected to complete at least five lessons a week.
Harbison West, however, didn’t just focus on five lessons a week. In addition, many classes have in-class competitions to encourage increased engagement with the lessons. Teachers log in at least once a week (many almost every day) to monitor student progress and make sure that students use their DreamBox Math time effectively.
Kindergarten through fifth grade students at Harbison West are expected to use DreamBox Math from the start of the year until the end. The school also has a summer DreamBox Math challenge for the rising second through fifth grade students who can take their devices home over the summer. The purpose is to help students continue their interventions and prevent summer slide.
As a result of this concerted effort, the school saw a significant correlation between students who use DreamBox Math with fidelity and an increase in their MAP scores. Teachers assigned lessons based on students’ two lowest strands from winter MAP testing.
Teachers have reported noticing an increase in students’ understanding and engagement in lessons where there previously were gaps in learning. Students’ comfort levels with DreamBox Math have also increased.
The successful utilization of a digital product does not come without its share of challenges. Although the initial directions for these interactive lessons may appear confusing, students become actively engaged in the assignments once they grasp the instructions and have a clear understanding of what is expected of them.