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Houston Independent School District Selects Wireless Generation's mCLASS(R) Platform for Administering Formative Assessments in Grades K-3 District-Wide

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 October 2008, 09:00 CDT

The Houston Independent School District (HISD), Texas' largest school system, has selected Wireless Generation to provide all of the district's K-3 classrooms with its mCLASS(R) software platform for using handheld computers to give the TPRI(R) and Tejas LEE(R) reading assessments. By administering these assessments with handheld computers, teachers can efficiently track their students' developing reading skills, receive timely information about learning strengths and needs, and deliver effective instruction.

Wireless Generation's mCLASS technology makes the assessment process and the resulting data an easy, integral and supportive part of instruction. mCLASS assessment administration typically takes less time than using paper, returning instructional time to the classroom. Teachers administer the assessments easily and accurately by following prompts and recording student responses on the handheld screen. The handheld device automates timing and delivers scores instantly, for timely insight into student learning needs. When the handheld is "synced" to a Web-connected computer, the data is uploaded to a secure Web site, where it is presented in reports for analysis and instructional planning at the individual student, class, school, district, or demographic sub-population levels.

The mCLASS system significantly reduces the burden for school systems' IT staff. There is no need to purchase or support additional servers to run the mCLASS programs. Wireless Generation uses an Application Service Provider (ASP) model in which the company, rather than the school district, hosts, maintains, and manages upgrades to mCLASS software. The ASP model minimizes the associated costs and workload for HISD's IT staff.

Wireless Generation is providing all HISD K-3 classrooms with its handheld computer-based versions, mCLASS:TPRI and mCLASS:Tejas LEE. The company is also providing its mCLASS versions of the TPRI and Tejas LEE progress monitoring assessments.

"We have had the privilege of working with HISD for the last five years and seeing firsthand what a strong commitment the district's educators have to understanding their students' strengths and needs, and providing excellent early literacy instruction," said Larry Berger, Wireless Generation's Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. "We look forward to our continued partnership."

"Wireless Generation has helped HISD to simplify our state-mandated early reading assessment process, from teacher implementation to data reporting, and has collaborated with our departmental teams to customize data uploads and downloads, based on our needs," said Dr. Tracy Weeden, HISD's Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment. "In addition, Wireless Generation provides quick problem-solving assistance to our district coordinator from classroom issues to developing systemic collaboration processes."

About the TPRI(R) and Tejas LEE(R) assessments

Teachers throughout Texas rely upon the research-based TPRI(R) and Tejas LEE(R) reading assessments to help students master foundational reading skills in the early grades. The TPRI was developed and refined by reading researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center's Children's Learning Institute (CLI), and the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES) at the University of Houston. The Tejas LEE (2004-2008) was developed by reading researchers at the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES) at the University of Houston.

About Wireless Generation

Wireless Generation makes effective differentiated instruction possible for PreK-12 educators with its mCLASS(R) system, which includes handheld computer-based formative assessments; Web-based reporting, data analysis and instructional planning tools; and in-person professional development. The company's commitment to listening to educators and gaining a deep understanding of their challenges has led to the development of innovative offerings that help improve student achievement in reading and math. Currently, approximately 150,000 teachers nationwide and overseas use mCLASS and the company's professional services to collect, analyze, and act on data in support of 2 million students' reading and math learning. More information is available on the Web at www.wirelessgeneration.com.

Source: Business Wire

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