Small group instruction and data-driven decisions improve student achievement

The Challenge

Despite outperforming most districts in the state, HCS realized they could do more to raise academic achievement for all students. After piloting several digital content providers, HCS noticed that the timely data and feedback to students helped boost student performance. They wanted to provide greater access to technology to all of their students, but wanted to ensure the technology would be used to better meet student needs. At the same time, they want to increase student collaboration, creativity and the skills needed for the profile of a South Carolina graduate.

How We Helped

Education Elements worked with HCS to develop a personalized learning instructional model and support plan for one pilot middle school. After seeing success at that school, Education Elements has supported HCS in rolling out personalized learning across all schools in the district - first in their middle schools, then high schools, and finally in their elementary schools. The work included designing instructional models focused on the Core 4 of personalized learning, selecting district-wide digital content, and creating district expectations and support structures. 

For the last two years, Education Elements has supported HCS in going deeper into two key areas of personalized learning - targeted small group instruction, and collaboration and creativity. 

The Results

Since the 2013-2014 school year, when HCS first piloted personalized learning with one middle school, HCS middle schools have seen a 40% percentage point rise in average reading growth and a 45% percentage point rise in average math growth on NWEA MAP assessments. Additionally middle schools have seen a 7 percentage point rise in students meeting or exceeding growth targets in reading and a 17 percentage point rise in math - equating to 600 more middle school students hitting their growth targets in reading and 1,460 more middle school students hitting their growth targets in math. In 2016 the HCS composite SAT score climbed a record 46 points from the previous year to 1535, surpassing the national average.