Study Shows Positive Impact of Stride on ACT Aspire Scores

The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools (CLAS) announced the results of a research study related related to Stride. The study, conducted by Auburn University, measured the impact of Stride on ACT Aspire Results.

Here are the key findings:

1. Stride students overall improved math benchmark pass rates by 15% compared to their demographically matched peers who improved pass rate by 8%. 
2. For reading benchmarks, Stride students improved by 10% whereas their peers showed no statistically significant change. 
3. Economically disadvantaged Stride students improved math pass rate by 23% whereas their peers showed no statistically significant change. 
4. Students using Stride who are both African-American and economically disadvantaged improved at a greater rate than their peers for math pass rate (23% vs. 10%) and reading pass rate (18% vs. 13%). 
5. Students in Special Education who used Stride improved reading benchmark pass rate by 57% compared to an improvement of 33% by their matched peers. 

According to the research findings, “the results suggest that the Stride™ program has been successful during the 2015 and 2016 school years in improving academic achievement in targeted schools."

This finding is in accord with a data analysis of the program done in 2011-12 by the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) which found that students enrolled in the program ‘showed positive results in 8th Grade Math and Reading scores relative to their matched peers’.

PMA Extended to October 20

Because of Hurricane Irma, the PMA window has been extended to October 20. Stride is a nationwide program, and many schools in the impacted areas are Stride users.

Truthfully, the end date of PMA shouldn't be an issue for any of our Calhoun County Schools. Best practice is for each school to set its own narrow window at the beginning of the national window. That way, you get your results quickly, can use the data immediately, and can take advantage of Quiz Builder and the Adaptive Engine.

Your Picture Here

Do you have a Stride story to tell? What's working for you? What are students saying? What are parents saying?

I would like to hear your good news and share it in this space with others. You can send digital pictures and your story to me at this email address: Frank@FrankBuck.org

Progress Monitoring Is Up and Going

If you teach students in the K-8 range, the Progress Monitoring Assessment has begun. When students log in, they automatically begin PMA questions just by clicking on the big coin. Each subject area requires around 30-45 minutes.

Don't worry if a student does not finish in one sitting. When the student logs in next time, PMA questions resume. Another good feature is that when students go home, PMA pauses. Students may use Stride Academy, but they receive the regular Stride Adaptive Engine questions. That way, students are under your supervision during PMA.

You will see who has finished PMA when you log into Stride and look at your Class Roster.

No PMA for Science

PMA consists of tests in reading and math. There will be no science assessment this year.

Stride is in the process of examining the alignment between its Science curriculum and Alabama standards. During this process, there will be no Science PMA.

If you are an administrator, here is what you will see on the "Assessments" tab.

Notice that all of the selections are "grayed-out." You are not able to make any changes from the school level. You cannot turn off PMA. Furthermore, you cannot turn on PMA for Science even if you want to.

While we are talking about subjects...

Now is a good time for every teacher to look at the Curriculum tab to be sure everything is set correctly.

• Which subjects should students work on in your class? Be sure those subjects are checked. Are your students finding they are missing a coin for a subject when they log into Stride?  The culprit will be what is checked on the Curriculum tab.
• Do you have the "F.A.S.T. 360 Adaptive Engine" checked? That's going to be the place you generally want your students to be.
• Do you have a student with some special needs? In the "I want to change the curriculum for" section, bullet "This individual student" and choose the student from the drop-down list. Now, you can check the appropriate subjects for that student. If you only want the student to work on certain standards, bullet "Include only the specific skill areas that I choose." Click "Choose Skills" and start to drill down to the skills you want that student to have. Don't forget to return to this spot and change those skills at the appropriate time.