Challenge

Beaverton School District actively seeks to empower its middle school teachers to be as effective as possible. Teachers are given ambitious annual Student Growth Goals and are tasked with meeting diverse student needs to ensure that all students are performing at grade level and prepared for their next course.

Paul Ottum, Online Learning Specialist for Beaverton School District, recognizes the importance of preparing students for success in high school. 

“In many cases, students leave school because they aren’t prepared academically for high school,” Ottum says. “Students who fail a course during their freshman year are much more likely to leave school before they graduate.”

Solution

So that they are prepared for the rigors of high school, Ottum wants all middle school students to master grade-level content. If they struggle with a concept, they need extra support on the spot rather than being allowed to fall behind and enter credit recovery. That’s why Beaverton implemented Apex Learning Tutorials. 

“Tutorials are the way to do this right,” Ottum explains. “Tutorials enable our teachers to offer each student personalized support and just-in-time remediation, which is precisely what middle school students need.”

Leveraging Actionable Data to Drive Success

Teachers use the real-time data from the Test It activities in Tutorials to take the pulse of their classrooms and determine whether students are grasping a concept. 

“This is the kind of information we used to struggle to get our hands on to help us meet our Student Growth Goals,” Ottum says. “As soon as our teachers see the formative Test It data from Tutorials, they know where they have been successful and how to adjust their teaching to improve student outcomes.” 

Because students also have access to real-time data and formative feedback, students are motivated by seeing their own pathway to success.

Result

Since the district implemented Tutorials, Beaverton students are visibly taking responsibility for their own learning, gaining confidence, and achieving at higher levels. 

“Tutorials capture our students’ interest,” says Ottum. “Students have even asked if they could use them at home on their own time. Think about that: a student asking permission to study
more from home!”