"We have been extremely pleased with the SuccessMaker labs in our elementary and middle schools. They have had a significant impact on our students’ achievement gains in reading and math. "
"Our district adopted the policy of acceptable performance at the 80 percent instead of 65 percent level. The students love the challenge of seeing their scores in the 80’s and 90’s and they actually try for 100 percent each and every day."
"One of the most impressive aspects of the SuccessMaker program is SuccessMaker’s ability to monitor student progress. As each student masters a concept in reading or math they move on to the next step. This individualization assures that every student has the opportunity to learn at his or her own pace. We have seen impressive gains in reading and math test scores as a result."
""SuccessMaker Labs have been a valuable tool used to increase math and reading achievement. Madison School is 33 percent minority and 45 percent low SES. This 2003/2004 school year, 100 percent of our 4th graders scored proficient in math on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. 96.9 percent (all but one student) scored proficient in reading comprehension as based on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills." Classroom Teachers Survey Comments: I think the Success Lab has been very helpful. In math, the students are presented a variety of math concepts and in different ways than what we do in the classroom. This helps with ITBS! I truly believe our students have higher scores on ITBS due to concepts covered during Success Lab time! SuccessMaker demands focus for success; this is a positive wake-up call for those students that manage to figure things out through having directions/ instructions read aloud to them or having directions/methods modeled to them. I think this is a very positive program. Many students are excited when they cover the same concepts in class (especially math). It is really surprising how some of the "problem children" really settle down and get into SuccessMaker! This program will show increasing benefits as the students go through the grades. It will help cover gaps in the curriculum as taught in the different classrooms. It provides remediation for the low students and acceleration for the high ability students. I have used SuccessMaker with my special education students in grades 3, 4, and 5. I believe the Success Lab has been good for these children for the following reasons: it gives them a quiet, positive way to start their academic day; provides opportunities to work independently without too much teacher or peer interaction; provides work experience with a computer; boosts their deficit skills; and increases their confidence in areas of personal academic growth.
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 Muscatine Community School DistrictMuscatine, Iowa
Profile The Muscatine Community School District serves approximately 5,500 students both in the city and surrounding rural areas of Muscatine within nine elementary buildings, two middle schools and one high school. The district is the 10 th largest in student population among Iowa ’s 370 public school districts. The school district population is diverse both in terms of both ethnic make-up and student needs. The elementary schools in the district enroll 2,374 students in kindergarten to the fifth grade. Approximately 83 percent of the students are European American, 15 percent are Hispanic American, and 2 percent are comprised of ten other nationalities. Minority populations at elementary buildings vary from 10 percent (at Mulberry Elementary) to 48 percent (at Jefferson Elementary).Thirty-three percent of the students at Muscatine receive a free and reduced-price lunch. Challenge Two elementary buildings in the district were cited as "Schools in Need of Assistance" as part of the No Child Left Behind legislation. In addition, 50 percent of the elementary schools were below the Iowa state average in reading comprehension proficiency. Goals The goals put forth by the Board of Education for 2003-2004 are:
Primary goals were to boost student achievement in reading comprehension, math, and science as measured by the proficiency rates on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) for grades 1-8, and the Iowa Test of Educational Development (ITED) for grades 9-11. On the administrative side, the district's primary goal was to be able to track data and comply with the state and federal reporting requirements more efficiently. Muscatine accomplished this using two other Pearson Digital Learning products, the SASIxp ™ student information system and NovaNET® online courseware for grades 7–12. Solution Muscatine implemented SuccessMaker from Pearson Digital Learning in its elementary schools in August of 2001. All 2,374 students in K–5 use the program. A combination of funds from grants and the Board of Education were responsible for the purchase. The Roy J. Carver Trust funded the hardware and software, and a Physical Plant and Equipment Levy helped improve the labs. Students attend the Success Lab every day for typically 30 minutes a session (15 minutes of reading and 15 minutes of math). There is a high level of discipline in the Success Labs along with high expectations for mastery levels. Motivational strategies are used throughout the year to keep students energized to do their best. Barb Hyman , principal at Madison Elementary, coordinates the SuccessMaker labs for the Muscatine Community School District . Reports are provided to teachers and building principals on a regular basis and a report is sent to the Board of Education annually. In September of this year, Barb Hyman will move into the role of principal for Garfield and Franklin Elementary schools. The Value of SuccessMaker Training from Pearson Digital
Learning Lab facilitator meetings are held regularly throughout each school year. Staff also has access to a Muscatine staff handbook (created by the district) for using SuccessMaker courses that provides guidelines and procedures for teachers and lab facilitators, along with ideas for motivational activities. Four lab facilitators are in the process of training new lab facilitators. The new lab facilitators are shadowing their trainers, and the trainers provide guidance by visiting labs, answering questions, and helping to trouble shoot. The lab facilitator trainers will mentor new lab facilitators for as long as needed. One teacher at each elementary building has agreed to be the "Go To" teacher for SuccessMaker training and report interpretation for new teachers. Muscatine Students and SuccessMaker Teachers think students like the math speed games the best, in addition to the stories in Discover English. The challenges of the exercises keep them on their toes, and the awards they receive in the Success Lab for a good job keeps them motivated. Barbara Reesink, SuccessMaker Lab Facilitator at Madison Elementary sees the student motivation first hand. "Our district adopted the policy of acceptable performance at the 80 percent instead of 65 percent level. The students love the challenge of seeing their scores in the 80’s and 90’s and they actually try for 100 percent each and every day." According to Janelle Grammens, Success Lab Coordinator at Bishop Hayes Catholic Schools, "One of the most impressive aspects of the SuccessMaker program is SuccessMaker’s ability to monitor student progress. As each student masters a concept in reading or math they move on to the next step. This individualization assures that every student has the opportunity to learn at his or her own pace. We have seen impressive gains in reading and math test scores as a result." Results The successful implementation at Muscatine included discussing ways to: 1) better modify instruction, 2) keep the lines of communication open with the teachers and lab facilitators, and 3) teach students what they really need to know based on SuccessMaker reports. Barb Hyman says, " SuccessMaker Labs have been a valuable tool used to increase math and reading achievement. Madison School is 33 percent minority and 45 percent low SES. This 2003/2004 school year, 100 percent of our 4 th graders scored proficient in math on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. 96.9 percent (all but one student) scored proficient in reading comprehension as based on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills." This graph shows how fourth grade reading proficiency at Muscatine has steadily climbed over the past five bienniums exceeding the Board of Education goals for the district.
Muscatine Elementary schools have all benefited from SuccessMaker
by increasing their reading proficiency from 1999-2004.
Fourth grade math proficiency at Muscatine has also steadily
climbed over the past five bienniums exceeding the Board of Education
goals for the district.
Muscatine Elementary schools have all benefited from
SuccessMaker by increasing their math proficiency from 1999-2004.
Classroom teachers complete a survey every May in regards to SuccessMaker software. Examples of survey comments are as follows:
Students at Muscatine Community School District are experiencing the benefits of using SuccessMaker, and their achievements are just beginning.
Contact us for additional information on how Pearson Digital Learning can help you achieve results with SuccessMaker Enterprise.
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Find
a Success Story 
The first year SuccessMaker was implemented; all K–2 students
used the program, along with students in grades 3–5 who were
below grade level. The second year, some schools began to include
all students in grades three and four. These schools exhibited
higher ITBS proficiency levels in math and reading. Therefore,
this year all nine elementary schools have placed students in K–4
in the SuccessMaker software program. Many schools are also including
fifth graders. The program began as a means of increasing achievement
by implementing early intervention with the primary grade students,
but has evolved to a means of increasing student achievement in
the areas of reading and math for ALL students. SuccessMaker courseware
titles that Muscatine has used include Math Concepts and Skills
(English and Spanish), Reading Readiness, Initial Reading, Readers’ Workshop,
and Discover English. After finding much success in the elementary
schools, Muscatine added SuccessMaker to the two middle schools.
In addition to the five courses listed, the district has expanded
its curriculum to include all SuccessMaker courses in reading and
math. 
