| State: California | Number of Students: 6,418 |
| School Type: Public School District | Free and Reduced Lunch: 85.1% |
| Grade Level: K-6 | English Language Learners: 52.4% |
School Context
The school is a K-12 school district with a huge ELL population that has been using various forms of technology in a disjoined way. But they are now wanting to switch to a more strategic approach where they use technology to drive data driven instruction.
State of Technology
The ELA teachers have to support a lot of content and need support to make sure all students gaps are being filled in along the way. They are looking for a tool that can support them to meet their content gaps and help compliment the materials the teacher is teaching in the classroom. Ideally, this tool would be used every other day for 30 minutes in centers (in K-5), during independent work times or for homework (6-8). The tool would allow students to start out on their own and work on content at their own level. It would help them fill in skill gaps in writing, grammar, reading/fluency. They are also looking for ebooks that could be adjusted by lexile reading levels, include formative assessments and ask students to do some writing. Any auto grading for the e-reader's formative assessments would be great, but non a non-negotiable. They are willing to use different programs in K-5 than 6-8, but are also interested in programs that can cover all content areas.
Currently, in K-5 there are lots of centers where students to 30 minutes of reading, meet with a teacher, then do 30 minutes of writing. A lot of non-fiction is integrated. In 6-8th grade much of their work is novel based. A mix of their work is guided and some is independent. During their rotations or independent work time students are using Achieve3000. However, they think it is more expensive than it is worth. Teachers do not give it high marks either. They are also purchasing a license for the district to use Newsela next year. But they are not sure what other tools to use during this time that could be an e-reader for novels and also support basic ELA instruction.
Tech Needs & Requirements
The teachers would use an external diagnostic tool (iReady or MAP) to identify what gaps students have and then use this tool to help fill in those appropriate gaps. While kids are working on the tool, the teacher should not have any involvement. Also, teachers should not have to do any grading or assessment to help the tool work. Ideally the tool comes with it is own content, but if it also allows teachers to upload content (in the case of a reader) that would be great. Teachers should be able to start kids off, let them go at their own pace, but then be able to put them on different tracks if the students are continually failing or reset the student when needed.
The tool must have a CSV export, must allow teachers to make adjustments to the content sequence a student is working through when needed and must have a single sign-on with Google or Canvas. The school provides students with 1:1 Chromebooks in 6-8, 1:1 Chromebooks and iPads and 10 desktop devices in every classroom K-5. They are looking for data that shows mastery of content and helps identify where students have skill gaps. They want data to be simple and easy for teachers to use. Ideally there is also a parent report and a view for students to track their progress. A CSV download is non negotiable. The tool must have a single sign-on with Google or use Clever, must export CSV and must be cloud based.