The State of Kansas has established a two-year pilot program for improving reading outcomes using educational technology and has chosen to implement Lexia Reading Core5™ based on a review of stringent requirements. The state budget includes up to $6M in both 2014 and 2015 to implement the program, providing as many as 50,000 students in grades pre-K–5 with free access to Lexia Reading Core5. There is no cost to the schools chosen to participate in the pilot program as long as they meet minimum usage requirements.
Reading proficiency in the early grades has long been a focus for educators and legislators across Kansas.
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2010 special report, "Every student who does not complete high school costs our society an estimated $260,000 in lost earnings, taxes and productivity. High school dropouts also are more likely than those who graduate to be arrested or have a child while still a teenager, both of which incur additional financial and social costs … Reading proficiently by the end of third grade can be a make-or-break benchmark in a child's educational development" (Early Warning: Why Reading by the End of Third Grade Matters). When used with fidelity, Lexia’s approach has been shown to help nearly two-thirds of struggling students in grades 1–3 to close the gap and finish at grade-level within one year.
Lexia Reading Core5 is a technology-based reading program that helps students of all abilities accelerate mastery of reading skills. Students work independently and at their own pace on activities using an iPad or web browser. If a student struggles with the task, he or she receives skill-specific, explicit instruction in the online program. If the student continues to struggle, the program notifies the teacher and provides targeted, structured lesson materials for teacher-led instruction. The program provides real-time assessment data that teachers can use for planning small group instruction, and enables teachers, principals and district-level administrators to monitor academic progress at the district, school, grade, classroom and student levels.
Lexia Reading Core5 was selected for the pilot program based on its ability to meet the following criteria:
- Provide a personalized instructional path for every student, tailored to his/her individual needs
- Methodology supported by peer-reviewed, published scientific research
- Reduce the amount of time teachers spend administering reading tests, by incorporating “embedded assessment” technology
- Provide real-time student data; action plans for teachers and administrators; and student performance information that predicts future outcomes on year-end assessments used in the State of Kansas.
Educational Design Solutions (EDS), a Kansas company, will support the implementation of this program statewide. Schools can participate in the program at no cost and schools already using Lexia can expand their licenses to school-wide access, provided they agree to standards of fidelity of implementation.
