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Indiana Selects Wireless Generation to Provide K-2 Formative Assessment System in Reading and Math

Posted on: Thursday, 13 December 2007, 12:00 CST

Indiana has selected Wireless Generation to serve the state's kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms with formative assessments in reading and math. Wireless Generation's handheld computer-based mCLASS®:Reading 3D™ and mCLASS®:Math assessments will enable Indiana teachers to target instruction to each student's needs, and monitor each student's progress toward mastery. Under the two-year agreement with renewal options, Wireless Generation will provide the assessments; as well as Web-based reporting, data analysis, and instructional planning tools, and professional development to help Indiana educators become skilled in using data to guide their instruction.

While all states have a testing program that begins in third grade, Indiana is the first state to select a comprehensive formative assessment system for every K-2 classroom as well. Other states are considering similar programs, in light of a growing body of research showing that frequently assessing and understanding students' progress during the school year has a significant positive impact on teaching and learning.

"Indiana is at the forefront of the many states and districts that know that high quality, developmentally appropriate assessment should begin early," said Larry Berger, Wireless Generation's CEO and Co-Founder. "The research has shown that early screening and intervention can prevent learning problems from snowballing, and can keep many children from requiring special education services. In Indiana, a modest reduction in special education referrals and placements could save tens of millions of dollars. Wireless Generation is honored to work with Indiana to help its children to be successful learners from their earliest days in school."

"We've entered a new era where flexible, data-driven teaching tools support student learning throughout the entire school year," said Dr. Suellen Reed, Indiana's Superintendent of Public Instruction. "By identifying learning needs early, before they become more serious and costly to overcome, local schools and the state can better focus resources and save taxpayers money in the process."

Additional information on the K-2 assessments that Indiana has selected:

mCLASS:Reading 3D is unique in combining what teachers need: predictive validity, in which the assessment predicts whether a child will be able to read by the end of grade 3; and diagnostic insight into how a child reads text, with the opportunity to note a child's problems, successes, and strategies. The research-based, nationally-normed Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS®) alerts teachers when students are at risk of failing to reach key milestones in reading development, and monitors their progress. Teachers also use Reading Records to probe students' error patterns, reading strategies, and comprehension as they read authentic texts. Results from these two assessment approaches are seamlessly integrated, giving a detailed view of each child's literacy development.

The research-based mCLASS:Math assessment includes efficient measures to screen for students at-risk of failing to master early math skills, as well as deeper diagnostic interviews through which teachers further investigate students' mathematical thinking. mCLASS:Math helps teachers apply the assessment findings to their instruction by recommending next instructional steps.

Over 150 schools in Indiana were already using mCLASS reading assessments in their classrooms, many for as long as four years. In the 2006-2007 school year, Indiana schools using mCLASS assessments had a larger percentage of their K-3 students reach grade level than the national average, in every single grade. In addition, the state's Reading First schools have shown steady improvement across all grade levels since 2004. These schools will save hundreds of thousands of dollars by participating in the state program, and receive new tools and services including the mCLASS:Math assessment.

Wireless Generation's mCLASS assessments use handheld computers and the Web to make frequent formative assessment efficient and practical for teachers, saving them time and returning results immediately. mCLASS assessment administration typically takes 50% less time than using paper, allowing teachers to focus on teaching children instead of tallying scores and entering data. When the handheld is "synced" to a Web-connected computer, the data is uploaded to a secure Website, where it is presented in reports for analysis and instructional decision-making at the individual student, class, school, district, or demographic sub-population levels. mCLASS Now What? online tools and Wireless Generation-delivered professional development help school systems to build lasting internal capacity in data interpretation and delivery of targeted, effective instruction.

About Wireless Generation

Wireless Generation pioneered the adaptation of mobile technologies for use in managing and improving teaching and learning in grades pre-K-12. The company's commitment to listening to educators and gaining a deep understanding of their challenges has led to the development of offerings that optimally combine handheld devices, Internet technology, and in-person services to help improve student achievement in reading and math. Wireless Generation's mCLASS® products and services streamline collection of data about student learning needs and school operations, facilitate data analysis and interpretation, and build educators' capacity to implement data-driven instructional programs that deliver better outcomes for children. State and district school systems across the country and overseas now rely upon these offerings to achieve and sustain growth in their classrooms. Currently, approximately 150,000 teachers in 49 states and overseas use mCLASS to collect, analyze, and act on data in support of over 3 million students' reading and math learning. More information is available on the Web at www.wirelessgeneration.com.

Source: Business Wire

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