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Agenda Plus
School Board of Clay County
June 3, 2021 - Regular School Board Meeting
Title
C8 - Approval for the Purchase of Lexia’s Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® for Intensive Reading.
Description

Lexia Learning Systems LLC, A Rosetta Stone Company, is one of the best-known and most highly-respected reading technology companies in the world. Lexia Learning Systems LLC is the author of Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy®. Research is the bedrock of Lexia’s educational mission. Founded in 1984 with a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Lexia’s ongoing commitment to rigorous efficacy and learning outcomes research is at the center of their pedagogical approach. Lexia’s Core5® Reading Lexia®-PowerUp Literacy® is one of the most rigorously researched, independently evaluated, and respected reading programs in the world. In the context of the RTI-MTSS framework, Lexia’s Core5® Reading Lexia®-PowerUp helps educators provide targeted, personalized instruction in fundamental literacy skills to students identified for Tier II and Tier III intervention and to frequently monitor student progress without a separate testing event. Both programs also meet ESSA’s standards for Tier 1 Strong research, the highest level of efficacy evidence outlined by federal law. Lexia® Core5® Reading for Florida supports educators in providing differentiated literacy instruction for students of all abilities in grades pre-K–5. Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® for Florida is designed to help struggling and nearly-proficient readers in grades 6–12 become proficient readers and confident learners. Students are able to access Lexia’s Core5® Reading Lexia®-PowerUp from any compatible device both inside and outside of school, allowing for maximum flexibility in the delivery of browser-based instruction. Student progress and data is synchronized continuously so as students work from different devices, they are able to continue in the program’s Scope and Sequence without losing progress. Lexia’s Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® are aligned to the Florida Comprehensive Intervention Reading Plan for Intensive Reading Intervention. Lexia’s Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® are on the Florida Department of Education’s state approved 2020-2021 K-12 English Language Arts Instructional Materials Adoption List. Lexia’s Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® are aligned with Florida’s new ELA B.E.S.T. Standards.

Gap Analysis

Lexia® Core5® Reading is a highly structured and sequential blended learning approach to reading instruction that is designed to create individualized learning paths for students of all ability levels, including students with dyslexia. Lexia® Core5® Reading (Core5) is a technology-based instructional program that will accelerate mastery of reading skills in grades Pre-K through 5. An auto placement feature will determine an appropriate start level in the program. Students will reach their end-of-year (EOY), grade-level benchmark when they complete Core5 content corresponding to their grade level. Students will receive a monthly Performance Predictor score which estimates their percent chance of reaching EOY, grade-level benchmark. Based on their Predictor score and grade, students will be given a weekly usage target that is updated monthly. Consistently meeting usage targets increases the chances that students will reach their EOY, grade-level benchmark in Core5. Lexia® Core5® Reading will support educators in providing differentiated literacy instruction for students of all abilities in grades pre-K–5. Lexia’s research-proven program will provide explicit, systematic, personalized learning to students with identified reading deficiencies in the six areas of reading instruction, targeting skill gaps as they emerge. Lexia® Core5® Reading will provide teachers with the data and student-specific resources they need for individual or small-group instruction. Lexia® Core5® Reading will contribute to improved scores on standardized reading tests for students in preschool and elementary school. Targeted populations (such as students who are low performers and/or in Title I schools) will benefit significantly from Core5. Students who are English Learners will show significant benefits from Core5, in some cases closing the reading gap with their native English-speaking peers. These statements are supported by rigorous scientific methods that were followed in conducting studies, including the use of treatment and control groups, pretests/posttests, using standardized reading assessments, and appropriate statistical data analyses. 

The Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® program (PowerUp) was designed to target common deficits impacting struggling and non-proficient adolescent readers. PowerUp is a blended learning program that will provide an adaptive sequence of learning activities that students in the secondary intensive reading course will work through independently online, while receiving aligned teacher-driven lessons and paper and pencil activities. PowerUp Literacy accelerates the development of both fundamental literacy skills and higher-order thinking skills, helping students become proficient readers and confident learners utilizing a Blended Learning Model. PowerUp is organized into three separate instructional strands: Word Study, Grammar, and Comprehension. The Word Study strand will promote word recognition skills through instruction of letter-sound and syllable division patterns, sight words, and structural analysis (prefixes, roots, suffixes). The Grammar strand will address language comprehension skills such as understanding parts of speech and syntax, with an emphasis on connective words. The Comprehension strand will advance language comprehension through increasing background knowledge, verbal reasoning, and understanding of text structures. Vocabulary knowledge is interwoven throughout all three strands. PowerUp will provide secondary intensive reading teachers instructional tools and materials aligned with the science of reading and Florida’s new B.E.S.T. Foundation Standards required to address reading gaps in adolescents. PowerUp’s theory of change posits that instruction in word recognition and language comprehension skills will boost reading comprehension and writing. 

SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT: Lexia Learning was originally founded to provide reading intervention for students with language based learning difficulties, including Dyslexia. PowerUp Literacy has been used in conjunction with technology-based adaptive add-ons and/or one-to-one assistance. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER SUPPORT: Lexia’s programs will provide personalized, systematic instruction in fundamental literacy skills, with a specific focus on grammar and syntax, which will be particularly challenging for English Language Learners. The programs will support evidence-based best practices for supporting ELLs with embedded progress monitoring, extensive vocabulary instruction including academic language, and explicit instruction, as well as opportunities for peer assisted reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities. Background building and instructional videos, an opportunity to encounter texts in Listen Mode (hear them read aloud), scaffolding and spiraling content will provide the instruction proven to accelerate learning. Native language Spanish introductions and directions can be activated by teachers. In a scaffolded manner, students for whom this support is provided will hear English first, and then hear their native language. As students become more proficient in English, they can choose when to use native language support.

AUTO PLACEMENT: Lexia Programs begins with a comprehensive set of Auto Placement exercises that place the student in different levels based on the research around the Simple View of Reading, allowing students to be placed based on their proficiency in the components of reading. The program determines a personalized learning path for each student based on their strengths and weaknesses and supports them continuously through an adaptive placement. As students work independently in the online activities, realtime performance data is collected through Lexia’s patented embedded assessment tool, Assessment Without Testing®. These diagnostic data provide continual assessment of students' retention and application of skills as learners work through the scope and sequence. As students use the software, Lexia’s proprietary Assessment Without Testing® (AWT) algorithm collects and analyzes data. AWT provides a comprehensive look at student progress, saving hours for instruction while diminishing the need for separate testing events with the accompanying preparation, follow-up, and anxiety. With every keystroke, mouse movement, and moment spent engaged in the student software, PowerUp Literacy’s AWT provides actionable, criterion-referenced performance data. The data AWT gathers determine the next step in online instruction and populate personalized Action Plans. Lexia’s proprietary Assessment Without Testing data in PowerUp Literacy has been successfully validated through a correlational and predictive study with NWEA MAP Growth and FASTbridge aReading, and further data is being collected to add to this validation process.  

REPORTING: As students work through each activity, detailed progress data is immediately available on myLexia®. Highly graphic, easy to interpret reports help educators track student usage of the programs, student progress through the content, specific skills students have acquired, and specific skills where students struggle. Data-driven Action Plans, unique to each student, simplify the process of differentiating instruction. Form IM8, Publisher’s Questionnaire Page | 6 Action Plans recommend the amount of time to spend engaged with the software to meet goals and indicate if/when a student requires an educator-led Lexia Lesson® or is ready for a Lexia Skill Builder® to extend practice and apply skills off-line. Based on Assessment Without Testing measures, teachers and administrators receive real-time reports on individual student progress toward eighth grade reading proficiency. Reports are provided at four levels: District, School, Class, and Student.

HOME-TO-SCHOOL CONNECTION: Home Use Letters and Achievement Certificates will be available for personalization and use. Easy to understand, graphic Student Reports can be printed and used for conferencing. Additionally, with each site-license, all students will have access to the programs from any compatible device, including home and library use. Lexia Skill Builders can be used for homework.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: At no additional cost, Lexia provides Customer Service Support and online access to training guides, manuals, and other learning resources in the Teacher Resources Hub of myLexia. Learning Now videos provide quick, targeted support on topics from registering students to understanding data so that it can impact instruction.

Previous Outcomes

Based on the Florida Department of Education Survey 2 for CCDS, as of 12/02/20, 9,738 of K-12 students were coded as receiving Tier 2 reading intervention, 4,556 of K-12 students were coded as receiving Tier 3 reading intervention for substantial reading deficiencies.

Expected Outcomes

The district will increase reading proficiency in grades K-12 as instructional and achievement gaps are closed using Lexia, an evidence based program aligned to Florida’s B.E.S.T. Standards - ELA based on the science of reading. In addition, the quality of Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions will ultimately improve as the number of students in need of reading intervention decreases.

Strategic Plan Goal

Goal 1:  Develop a Great Educators and Leaders

Strategy 1.2: Provide diagnostic and prescriptive interventions for differentiated instruction in reading

Initiative 1.2.2: Adopt and implement Tier 2 and Tier 3 instructional interventions in all reading classroom

Recommendation

That the Clay County School Board approve the purchase of the Lexia Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® Unlimited License with Implementation Success Partnership, Lexia PowerUp Literacy Student Subscription, Lexia PowerUp Literacy Implementation Success Partnership, and Lexia District Success Partnership for supporting individual student instructional and intervention to reading achievement gaps for students in grades K-12 who are currently coded as receiving Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention.

Contact
Roger Dailey, Chief of Academic Officer, roger.dailey@myoneclay.net, 904-336-6904
Financial Impact
For 06/01/2021-07/31/2024, the fiscal impact of the Lexia Lexia Core5® Reading and Lexia® PowerUp Literacy® Unlimited License with Implementation Success Partnership, Lexia PowerUp Literacy Student Subscription, Lexia PowerUp Literacy Implementation Success Partnership, and Lexia District Success Partnership for grades K-12 will not exceed $1,474,558.33 from 2021 Federal Funds.
Year 1 $631,983.33 Year 2 $631,983.33 Year 3 $631,983.33
Total Cost $1,895,949.99 for Year-to-Year Contract
Total Savings for 3-Year Contract $421,391.66
Total Cost for 3-Year Contract with Savings $1,474,558.33
Review Comments
Attachments
Approved_Ready for Board 210104 Lexia Learning Systems.pdf