Suburban Chicago School District Accelerates Student Achievement With Breakthrough Response to Intervention System From Pearson
Award-winning AIMSweb Puts Data for Determining "What Works" at Educator's Fingertips
CHICAGO and BLOOMINGTON, Minn – October 27, 2009 – As schools around the country turn to data to accelerate student achievement, increasingly they are relying on AIMSweb, a universal screening and progress monitoring system, from the education and technology company, Pearson. The award-winning AIMSweb enables educators to determine whats working with their curriculum, personalize student learning, increase transparency and enhance curriculum interventions.
AIMSweb supports the Response to Intervention (RtI) model, a multi-tiered approach that uses data to target instruction, based on need for all students. With RtI, educators monitor students' progress closely at each stage of intervention to determine the need for further research-based instruction or intervention.
As shown in the linked video, Elk Grove Village Township School District (Community Consolidated School District 59) in Arlington Heights, a suburb of Chicago, is one example of a district implementing AIMSweb to put all students -- particularly those most at risk -- on the path to success. After six years of relying on AIMSweb to monitor student progress, address deficiencies and recheck results quickly and frequently, third-grade teachers in the district have seen a 40-percent decrease in the number of students needing intensive intervention.
"AIMSweb is different than other products in terms of usability. It's very specific and the outcomes are very predictive in terms of reading and math," said Randy S. Haack, district Coordinator of Assessment and Technology. "AIMSweb really does give our district an edge."
Candidates will take the NES at Pearsons secure computer-based test centers around the country and receive immediate results for most tests. The testing centers are completely dedicated to testing and have been awarded a patent for their unique security design, which features biometric verification of test takers.
CCSD 59 serves a large population of English Language Learners, and AIMSweb data has proven that with the right intervention ELL students can improve their reading achievement.
Lore Levene, Coordinator of Language Arts for the district, said, "AIMSweb helps determine how to provide the right balance between comprehension, vocabulary and strategy instruction so we can really help ELL students improve their reading skills in English."
To further improve learning, the district involves students and parents in the process. Students set learning goals and keep a portfolio of their results, while parents have easy access to information about their students progress.
Levene added, "As soon as we finish a benchmark or progress monitoring assessment, the students ask 'how did I do? They are excited about updating their portfolios and watching what they have done."
"AIMSweb gives you so much information, so quickly. You know that kids are progressing and that they are where they need to be, said Dr. Nancy Wagner, CCSD 59s Assistant Superintendent. "And there are so many different reports that you can share with parents that show them their children's growth rate."
As an RtI solution, AIMSweb qualifies for federal funding, including American Recover and Reinvestment Act dollars, in the areas of Title I and IDEA and, when used to help ELL students, Title III.
To learn more about AIMSweb and how schools around the country use the system to ensure all students are academically successful, visit www.aimsweb.com. To see CCSD 59s success story, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhm3aC3DRLI
About Pearson
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, provides innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. Pearsons other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information about the Assessment and Information group of Pearson, visit http://www.pearsonassessments.com/
For more information, press only:
Adam Gaber, Pearson, 800-745-8489, adam.gaber@pearson.com