Recent reports conducted by Curriculum Advantage found that K-12 school districts using the company's Classworks instructional software were able to improve student performance and eliminate the need for more specialized products. Though the product was originally geared toward specific groups of students (ELL learners, at-risk students, 8th and 9th graders who struggled with basic English I and Algebra I courses), it was found to be successful for other populations. The software can take the place of many other grade- or population-specific programs, which may result in a lower overall cost to the school and relieves the pressure on teachers and technicians to manage many different programs. The product is sold on an unlimited site license basis, so once a school buys the program, it can expand its use without worrying about increasing costs.
In the East Gaston High School of Mount Holly, N.C., for example, Classworks was implemented to help at-risk students achieve grade level proficiency and to increase scores on the state's Algebra I End-of-Course Test. After one semester, the percentage of these students reaching proficiency rose from 60 to 83 percent. In a similar story, Houston's Northside Middle School built two Classworks labs, mini-labs for each classroom, and before/after-school programs. Teachers learn about new ways to use Classworks each year, and have found the software to be highly successful. Although over 60 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, the student population now outperforms the state average in reading and math. Classworks includes over 5,000 hours of curriculum for reading and math, and features activities that correlate to state and national learning standards and tests.
