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Garland Independent School District

"Principals and teachers will give full credit for our tremendous improvements to SuccessMaker."
     Terri Houser, Elementary Coordinator of Technology
     Garland Independent School District

Highlights

• Since its implementation in 1999, Garland Independent School District has been making continual gains in reading and math, in fewer hours of instruction.
• After six months of using Pearson Digital Learning SuccessMaker® in labs and classrooms for 25-30 minutes each day, students saw measurable gains in both mathematics and reading at all grade levels.
• Over 4,000 students in the twelve elementary schools in Zone 1 used SuccessMaker for six months during the 1999-2000 school year. School administrators saw an average of a one-year instructional gain for many students.

School/District Profile

Garland ISD is located in an urban area of Garland, Texas. It is made up of 64 schools (42 of which are elementary schools), and enrolls 25,000 students. The population of the district is 58 percent Caucasian, 25 percent Asian, 10 percent African-American, and 7 percent Native American.

Challenge

In a district as large as Garland, implementing new technology solutions can be enormously challenging. Garland ISD had an integrated learning system in place for eleven years. Although the district hoped for stronger gains, teachers and principals were initially resistant to replacing the existing system and training on a new one. To convince staff to embrace the change, Elementary Coordinator of Technology Terri Houser knew that she had to get everyone on board right from the start. "The first thing we needed to do for a successful implementation was to get buy-in from the top down," said Houser.

Site Goals

Garland Independent School District's goal was to replace its existing software with a new solution that helps students improve reading and mathematics skills.

Solution

The district's solution was to choose a new technology solution. Garland ISD formed a software committee of teachers, principals, and administrators. The verdict was unanimous—SuccessMaker was the only choice as the new solution.

In 1999, Garland ISD revamped its entire technology program and began using SuccessMaker. Garland ISD installed 4,000 computers in elementary schools. Each of the 42 elementary schools has at least one, and in some cases, two 30-user computer labs. In addition, every classroom has a teacher presentation station consisting of a computer hooked up to a 32-inch monitor. In just one year, Garland ISD was able to implement SuccessMaker in all 42 elementary schools.

Breaking Implementation into Manageable Zones

With 42 elementary schools, 25,000 students, and 4,000 computers to install, Garland ISD decided to divide the schools geographically into five zones and proceed by implementing one zone at a time. Wiring and hardware installations were contracted out to speed up the process.

By the summer of 1999, Zone 1 schools had completed the installation and were ready to begin training. "Within five to ten days of when the computers were installed, the first training session was held," recalled Houser.

In addition to an onsite Pearson Digital Learning consultant, Garland ISD dedicated one of its own consultants exclusively to the program. Working with these consultants, a district team of master teachers developed initial modules for teachers to use as starting points.

Training for Success, Step by Step

"We knew that training was critical to the success of the program, but we also knew that we had to take it in small steps," said Technology Coordinator Houser. To start, teachers in each school received seven two-hour training sessions to introduce them to the software in lab and classroom settings. Garland ISD also held special training sessions for campus technology specialists, principals, and bilingual teachers.

As soon as teachers felt comfortable integrating SuccessMaker courseware into the classroom, they then began learning to use the Management System. Both teachers and principals learned how to use the extensive reporting functions offered by the software. "SuccessMaker was received in a way I never dreamed it would be," said Houser.

Internal and external support from teachers, principals, administrators, and consultants allowed Garland ISD to have SuccessMaker up and running in all 42 elementary schools in just one year.

Results

After six months of using SuccessMaker in labs and classrooms for 25-30 minutes each day, students saw measurable gains in both mathematics and reading at all grade levels.

Measurable Gains in Just One Year

Over 4,000 students in the twelve elementary schools in Zone 1 used SuccessMaker for six months of the 1999-2000 school year. According to Houser, school administrators saw an average one-year grade level gain for many students. "Our level of success in mathematics this year was due to SuccessMaker," she said.

Garland achieved results with SuccessMaker in under a year:

• Beaver Technology Center fourth-graders gained over a grade level in mathematics, and fifth-graders gained one and a half levels with 15 minutes of daily SuccessMaker instruction.
• Fourth-grade students at Bradfield Elementary gained more than a grade level in reading by using SuccessMaker for just 10 minutes each day.
• At Bullock Elementary, reading levels soared. First-graders improved more than a grade level, and second-graders also saw dramatic improvements with 7-15 minutes of SuccessMaker instruction daily.
• With just 15 minutes of SuccessMaker reading instruction daily, Davis Elementary second-graders ended the year reading above the third-grade level.
• Students at Freeman Elementary gained over a grade level in first, second, and fifth-grade mathematics with 15 minutes of daily instruction. And first, second, and third-graders gained over a grade level in reading as well.
• With 11-15 minutes of daily instruction, Golden Meadows Elementary first, second, and third-graders gained over a grade level in reading.
• Shorehaven Elementary provided students with 30 minutes of SuccessMaker lab time each day, achieving gains of over a grade level in mathematics for first-graders and grade level in reading for first, second, third, and fifth-graders.
• Steadham Elementary kindergartners went from a starting grade level of 0.16 to an ending level of 1.07 in mathematics with daily 15-minute SuccessMaker sessions.
• At-risk third-graders at the Watson Technology Center for Math & Science gained over a grade level in reading with daily 20-minute sessions.
• With 12 minutes of SuccessMaker instruction each day, first, second, and third-graders at Weaver Elementary gained over a grade level in reading.

Making Continual Progress

By the 2000-2001 school year, all 42 of Garland ISD's elementary schools were using SuccessMaker. The students averaged .77 year reading gains in 16 hours of instruction, and averaged .64 year math gains in 15 hours of instruction.

For the 2001-2002 school year, elementary students averaged half a year reading gains in only 6.2 hours of instruction. In math, the students averaged .70 gains in only 11.2 hours of instruction, showing that significant gains are being made in less time from the previous school year.

To find out more about Garland Independent School District, visit http://www.garlandisd.net.
 

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