BOSTON —October 14, 2011 — Determined to successfully increase reading proficiency across all grade levels, the award-winning Lexia Reading program has been implemented in nearly 75 schools and districts across the state of Mississippi. The reading software, with its ground-breaking, technology-based system of differentiated skills practice, embedded assessment, and targeted instruction, is uniquely designed to advance reading skills development for all students pre-K through fourth grade, and intensify and accelrate learning for at-risk students in grades 4-12.
In a recent national sample, 87% of K–3 at-risk students using Lexia Reading advanced one or more grade levels to finish the year working on grade level material. In schools across Mississippi, Lexia Reading is delivering powerful results.
In addition to supporting foundational skills development, the program also reduces schools’ dependence on traditional testing methods, while helping improve each student’s performance on grade-level assessments. Lexia Reading’s Assessment Without Testing™ technology automatically gathers student performance data without administering a test, allowing schools to spend less time testing and reclaim weeks of instructional time.
Hinds County Schools, Pearl City Schools and St. Vincent De Paul in the Diocese of Long Beach are just three of the many Mississippi schools and districts that have implemented the Lexia Reading as an essential component of their reading curriculum; joining Pascagoula Independent School District (ISD), Harrison County School District and Madison County School District, who all began using the system in recent years.
As one of the nation’s most highly regarded reading software programs, Lexia Reading is a scalable, research-proven approach that provides educators norm-referenced measures that prioritize the students who are the most at-risk, and recommends with teacher-led, direct skill instruction to address specific skill gaps.
“At Lexia, we have worked diligently to offer educators a proven, effective and affordable way to eliminate student reading failure,” said Nick Gaehde, president and chief executive officer of Lexia Learning. “There is a growing trend in schools throughout Mississippi and across the nation that have discovered the power and cost-effectiveness of using technology-based learning tools to address students’ individual learning needs. Technology is the game-changer, and these schools are clearly leading the way in defining the future of reading education.”
Pascagoula ISD began using Lexia Reading in 2010. Curriculum Support and Instructional Technology Specialist, Erin Ayala noted that Lexia allows both administrators and teachers to “work smarter, not harder.”
“Having access to students’ real-time data is paramount to addressing student achievement, developing school improvement plans, and in sharing student progress with parents and stakeholders,” said Ayala. “This live data is so instrumental when formulating instructional decisions, made simpler with the easy access that it affords; as opposed to the more cumbersome, traditional methods of collecting student work, or reviewing teacher grade books to examine student progress. With Lexia, we have real accessible data connected to specific reading skills and core standards. It’s simple invaluable.”
Educators in at Madison Elementary School in Madison County began using Lexia Reading in 2007, and after seeing exceptional gains in Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) performance, the Lexia Reading has become the foundational learning software for all students, as well as a primary intervention tool for all struggling readers.
“Our teachers and students love Lexia Reading because it profoundly impacts learning through individualized instruction while providing an engaging, kid-friendly platform for students to succeed,” said Barbara Martinez, computer lab teacher, Madison Elementary School. “We have seen our students average a 12-point improvement in MAP scores in just under three months.”
As students work independently on Lexia Reading, they receive explicit, systematic and structured practice on foundational reading skills. Each of the age-appropriate, skill-specific activities conforms to federal guidelines and is aligned to Common Core State Standards. The fun, engaging software delivers scaffolded practice, advancing students to higher levels as they demonstrate proficiency.
Lexia Reading’s Assessment Without Testing technology provides real-time data on students’ specific skill gaps, as well as norm-referenced predictions of each student’s percent chance of reaching the end-of-year benchmark. The program then identifies and prioritizes students for small group or individual instruction, providing educators with targeted instructional strategies and structured lesson plans to help each student improve performance on grade-level assessments.
“I use Lexia in my kindergarten classroom everyday,” said Kate Danzey, kindergarten teacher at Saucier Elementary, in Harrison County School District. “I began using it as a center activity for specific students, but now all my students use the program. For me, the reports that are available have helped me pinpoint certain skills I need to work on with my students. As a result, my students have progressed and I have seen a great level of achievement.”
At St. Vincent De Paul in the Long Beach Diocese, Lexia Reading is utilized for whole-school instruction.
“Lexia Reading is an effective way to differentiate instruction,” said Rebecca DiLornezo, first grade teacher. While Leslie Daley, resource teacher added, “The ease of use and the ability to access and monitor each child’s performance is a plus. The program has a wealth of multi-sensory teacher resources and activities to further enhance instruction…I highly recommend the program to anyone considering it.”
About Lexia Learning
Established with a promise to improve student literacy through the use of technology, Lexia has helped millions of students build reading skills. Lexia Reading is used as an essential component of reading instruction in thousands of districts across the country. For more information, visit www.lexialearning.com or call 1-800-435-3942.
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