Lexia Learning Systems®, provider of reading software, has announced a contract extension agreement with Davenport (Iowa) Community Schools to expand use of Lexia Reading® to 20 elementary schools district-wide.
Used as a component of reading instruction in Davenport since 2005, Lexia Reading has also been implemented in districts across Iowa including Des Moines Independent Community Schools, Cedar Rapids Community Schools and Council Bluff Community Schools.
Lexia Reading offers a scalable, research-based approach that provides educators norm-referenced measures that prioritize the students who are the most at-risk, and recommends teacher-led, direct skill instruction to address specific skill gaps. As students work independently on Lexia Reading, they receive systematic practice on foundational reading skills. The engaging software delivers scaffolded practice, advancing students to higher levels as they demonstrate proficiency. Each of the age-appropriate, skill-specific activities in Lexia Reading conforms to federal guidelines and is aligned to Common Core State Standards.
“In our classrooms, delivering differentiated instruction can be challenging for our teachers as they dedicate themselves to meeting the instructional needs of so many diverse learners,” said Cindy Lewis, Pre-K–5 Reading/LA Specialist and District ESL Coordinator for Davenport Schools. “Lexia Reading fits perfectly in the RTI model we have in place and has become an important piece of our core reading instruction. After teaching skills and strategies in whole and small group settings, our teachers appreciate how Lexia delivers the added practice each student needs to drive their individual progress forward. The program’s functionality hones in on the specific areas where a student is learning, and that is a great feature!”
Lexia Reading includes an embedded assessment feature that can help reduce educators’ dependency on traditional testing methods. This approach, known as Assessment Without Testing™, gathers student performance data without administering a test. The software automatically provides educators with 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 teachers and intervention specialists with targeted instructional strategies and structured lesson plans, including the minutes-per-week of software usage each student needs in order to improve performance on grade-level assessments.
