Students Using Apex Learning Pass State EOC Exam at Higher Rates in Houston ISD

The evaluation by the HISD Department of Research and Accountability shows that HISD seniors who used Apex Learning digital curriculum in 2011-2012 graduated at higher rates than all HISD seniors. HISD reports, “In 2011– 2012, 93 percent of 12th-grade students who took an Apex Learning course graduated while 91 percent of all HISD 12th graders graduated during the same year,” (Department of Research and Accountability, 2013, p. 2). Furthermore, students seeking to earn a diploma through the minimum/Individualized Education plan (IEP) had a higher rate of graduating when they took an Apex Learning course (28.9 percent) than did all HISD students (19.1 percent) seeking the same type of diploma. These results suggest that struggling students who use Apex Learning digital curriculum graduate at higher rates than all struggling HISD students.

Apex Learning digital curriculum supports student learning by making rigorous content accessible and engaging through the use of active learning strategies and opt-in scaffolding delivered at each student’s level. Rather than expecting students to learn by passively watching, reading, and listening, Apex Learning digital curriculum helps students learn by doing. Additionally, because Apex Learning curriculum is self-paced, students can spend as much or as little time as they need on guided practice and support activities to master the content. The combination of these factors enables students to master the content they struggled with while acquiring a deeper understanding than they may have gained in a traditional classroom.