1. An EdisonLearning Success Story
Hawaii schools see continued increases in
student achievement with EdisonLearning
partnership
The Hawaii Story
ThE ChALLEngE
In 2005 several schools in Hawaii were consistently
falling short of state standards for math and English,
based on years of state testing. The Hawaii Board of
Education sought new ways to help these schools. They
approved a plan to help 20 struggling schools improve
test scores. The Department of Education hired three
companies to help restructure these schools.
ThE SoLuTIon
EdisonLearning was one of three companies chosen
for this restructuring effort by the Hawaii Department
of Education. EdisonLearning was initially assigned to
work with 7 schools. The company used its Alliance™ “The EdisonLearning partnership has provided us
model to support these schools. Alliance is a district/ a structure to follow. I believe we are much more
school partnership model that brings together proven focused on our curriculum now than ever before.
research-based school design elements, achievement The weekly support provided by EdisonLearning has
tools and systems, professional development, and really moved our school along.”
dedicated EdisonLearning experts with a local staff to - amie Yap, Principal
J
transform schools. Maui Waewna Intermediate School, Hawaii
ThE RESuLTS
• First year achievement gains for Alliance partnership • English Language Learners (ELL) students have
schools were on average 7.5% in reading and 11% in increased their combined proficiency by 21% during
math. Within 3 years, these schools raised achievement the partnership.
by 22% in reading and 30% in math. • At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, the State
• Initially assigned 7 schools in 2005 , EdisonLearning of Hawaii awarded the state’s two top honors
was awarded 38 schools by the year 2009. for school leaders to two principals from Alliance
partnership schools.
• 14 Schools made AYP in 2009-2010 school year, up
from 5 schools in the 2008-2009 school year. • Among all partner providers in Hawaii, EdisonLearning
partnership schools continues to have the highest
• Students in the “Disadvantaged” subgroup have combined achievement results – 55.3% in the 2009-
increased their combined proficiency (reading and 2010 school year, as well as the highest single year
math) by 14% during the partnership. combined gain – 4.7%.

2. ThE STEpS ALong ThE WAy EdisonLearning also worked with the schools to put into place its
Several schools in Hawaii were struggling, consistently falling online formative assessment program, the Benchmarks system.
short of state standards in math and English, based on years Now called eValuate™, the system combines monthly benchmark
of state testing. These affected schools all faced some added assessments aligned to individual state standards with easy-to-
challenges. All had a significant number of children living in use reporting and analysis tools.
poverty. Most of the campuses were in rural or remote areas.
Some also had a high number of recent immigrants who spoke Students take monthly assessments online through eValuate.
little English. Teachers get instant feedback on test results. These results
are invaluable to being able to understand how students are
In 2005, the Hawaii Board of Education approved a plan to performing against state standards. Teachers analyze eValuate’s
help 20 of these struggling schools improve test scores and reports and use the information to make adjustments to
comply with other federal No Child Left Behind Act standards. classroom instruction to impact student achievement.
The Department of Education hired three companies to train
teachers and overhaul curriculum at the affected schools. This Professional Development is a significant part of the Alliance
effort was the most intense remedy that the state applied to model. Frequent professional development sessions occur
schools. EdisonLearning was one of the companies chosen to with topics that include data analysis using eValuate reports,
participate in this restructuring effort. The goal was to set and lesson planning, and other subjects that provide teachers
meet benchmarks for student achievement and ensure that ways to improve student learning. EdisonLearning also offers
curriculum and teaching match the goals. internal national instructional and leadership conferences
which offer educators a valuable and unique experience to
EdisonLearning was initially assigned 7 schools by the interact with colleagues from other EdisonLearning partnership
Hawaii Department of Education under this effort. To help schools across the nation.
these schools, EdisonLearning employed its district/school
partnership model, Alliance™. With Alliance, structures are One of the most successful aspects of the EdisonLearning
put in place that help ensure high performance on an on- and Hawaii school partnership has been how the teams have
going basis. Proven research-based school design elements, made curriculum, professional development and eValuate
achievement tools and systems, professional development, work together, leading to the creation of professional
and dedicated EdisonLearning experts are brought together learning communities. In partnership with EdisonLearning,
with a local staff to transform schools, deliver on turnaround schools create professional learning communities to allow
promises and make them true centers of excellence. teachers in core subjects to meet several times a week with
their respective counterparts to discuss curriculum and
One of the unique challenges in working with schools in instructional strategies. The outcomes are evident in student
Hawaii is location. As part of the Alliance model, a local on- performance.
site EdisonLearning team is a critical component to help guide
a successful Alliance implementation. This team is called the At the end of the first year of support, Alliance schools, on
Alliance Achievement team. An island-based Alliance average, had 7.5% achievement gains in reading, and 11%
Achievement team was established to work closely with in math. Meanwhile, average achievement in non-Alliance
the Hawaii school teams. Experts on this included a reading schools decreased. Within 3 years, these school raised
director, math director, English as a second language specialist, achievement by 22% in reading and 30% in Math.
two achievement advisors and a technology specialist. The
team became embedded in the school community and Due to the achievement gains seen in the initial 7 Alliance
invested in the schools’ success. schools, the number of EdisonLearning partnership schools
increased in Hawaii from 7 to 38 for the 2008-2009 school
Once the Alliance Achievement team was in place, the focus of year – educating 25,600 students statewide. Currently there
Alliance in Hawaii became turnaround curriculum, professional are 40 schools receiving a variety of Alliance services for the
development and assessment programs. 2010-11 school year.
EdisonLearning brought its years of curriculum expertise to ThE BoTTom LInE
develop a system to ensure standards based instruction that For the 2009-2010 school year, 14 EdisonLearning partnership
met the needs of students in Hawaii, including customized schools made AYP. This reflects a marked increase from 5
instruction needs for Special Education and ELL students, was schools that made AYP the previous year. These outcomes are a
provided to all students. Instruction was tied to meeting the solid testament to work done in these schools by the principals,
achievement goals set by the state. teachers, students and partners at the Hawaii DOE.

3. Schools that did not make AYP, however, are making significant FInd ouT moRE
progress, with math gains that averaged 6% at many schools For more information, call us at 1-800-I-CAN-LEARN
that have been Alliance schools for just two years. These (1-877-422-6532), email us at information@edisonlearning.com
schools include several high schools where the challenges can or visit www.edisonlearning.com/casestudies.
be greater due to the lack of a solid educational foundation in
the early grades. Working together for student success™
Among all partner providers’ schools in Hawaii, EdisonLearning
partner schools continue to have the highest combined
achievement results – 55.3% in 2009-2010 school year, as well
as the highest single year combined gain – 4.7%.
The partnership is also having a positive impact on those
students facing special challenges. Significant achievement
gains have occurred in both the Disadvantaged and ELL
subgroups. Students in the Disadvantaged subgroup have
increase their combined math and reading proficiency by
14% and students in the ELL subgroup have increased their
combined proficiency by 21% during the partnership.
Because the EdisonLearning Alliance model continues to help
Hawaii schools see sustained student achievement increases,
the number of partnership schools will increase even more to
40 in the 2010-2011 school year.
gain in percent of students who are
proficient or advanced proficient
Reading
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2006 1-year gains 2007 2-year gains 2008 3-year gains
Hawaii EdisonLearning Alliance Schools
gain in percent of students who are
proficient or advanced proficient
Math
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2006 1-year gains 2007 2-year gains 2008 3-year gains
Hawaii EdisonLearning Alliance Schools

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EdisonLearning, Inc.
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