Press Category: On the Wire

BOSTON (Aug. 26, 2025) — A new national survey from Lexia, a Cambium Learning Group brand, points to an opportunity for district leaders to work in concert with teachers to provide families with the science of reading-based literacy resources they need to support student reading success. The 2025 Back-to-School Teacher Survey, with input from more than 1,500 K–12 educators nationwide, found that while most teachers are eager to implement the science of reading, many lack the time and tools to connect these practices to home-based support.

The complete findings are available in a new report, From Classroom to Living Room: Exploring Parental Involvement in K–12 Literacy. District leaders can also download the accompanying infographic, “What District Leaders Need To Know: 5 Key Findings About Family Engagement and Literacy,” which highlights the most pressing data points and strategic opportunities for improving school-to-home literacy connections. Key insights from the survey include:

• 60% of teachers are either fully trained or interested in learning more about the science of reading
• Only 15% currently provide parents with structured, evidence-based literacy activities
• 79% of teachers cite time constraints and parents’ work schedules as top barriers to family engagement
• Just 10% report that their schools offer comprehensive family literacy programs
• Teachers overwhelmingly want in-person workshops and video tutorials to help parents support reading at home

“Teachers know that parental involvement can accelerate literacy and they’re eager for ways to strengthen those connections,” said Lexia President Nick Gaehde. “This data highlights how districts can continue to build on momentum in this new school year by offering scalable, multilingual, and flexible family engagement strategies that align with the science of reading.”

Teachers also called for:

• Better technology tools for consistent school-to-home communication
• Greater multilingual support to serve diverse communities
• Professional learning that includes family engagement training

Gaehde concluded, “Lexia’s survey reflects the continued national emphasis on Structured Literacy and shows that equipping families is essential to driving lasting student outcomes. At Lexia we’re committed to partnering with districts and teachers to strengthen the school-to-home connection. By giving educators practical tools and data-driven insights, we help teachers and families work together — ensuring every child has the literacy support they need to thrive.”

About Lexia

Lexia, a Cambium Learning Group brand, is transforming literacy education, driving change in 1 of every 3 school districts across the United States. For more than 40 years, Lexia has been a thought leader in literacy education, delivering award-winning, research-based solutions grounded in the science of reading. With a full spectrum of offerings, including professional learning, curriculum, and embedded assessment tools, Lexia provides educators with Structured Literacy solutions that are proven effective and designed to drive meaningful literacy outcomes. By empowering educators with unparalleled ease of use and the knowledge and tools they need, Lexia helps more students unlock their potential to read, write, and speak with confidence. For more information, visit lexialearning.com. 

About Cambium Learning Group

Cambium Learning Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services for K-12 educators and students. With an intentional collection of respected global brands, Cambium serves as a leader, helping millions of educators and students feel more seen, valued, and supported every day. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now. To learn more, visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. The Cambium family of brands includes: Cambium Assessment, Lexia, Learning A-Z, ExploreLearning, and Time4Learning.

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Media Contacts

Sabrina Leon, Lexia PR Manager

sabrina.leon@lexialearning.com

Charlotte Andrist, Nickel Communications

charlotte@nickelcommpr.com

Media Inquiries Only: 770-310-5244

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Chicago, (August 20, 2025) — Avantis Education, creator of the world’s leading virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) solution designed exclusively for education, has significantly advanced its ClassVR hardware suite with the launch of two new headsets to meet the evolving needs of students. From K-12 to higher education, Xcelerate and Xplorer are set to deliver ClassVR’s most powerful and practical immersive learning experiences to date – combining best-in-class VR/AR design with decades of expertise in education.

Xcelerate is the first ClassVR headset made specifically for high school and higher education. Designed to maximize student comfort, Xcelerate delivers six-degrees-of-freedom head and controller tracking to provide a full range of spatial movement, plus an innovative 90° flip visor that supports seamless transitions between immersive learning and real-world collaboration.

The advanced four-camera spatial tracking system allows for greater precision and provides a boundary safety system that makes it easy for teachers to bring exciting VR/AR experiences into the classroom.

“Everything about Xcelerate was designed with education in mind – like all of our ClassVR solutions,” explains Gillian Rhodes, Chief Marketing Officer, Avantis Education. “That means putting the student front and center with ergonomics and experience, and ensuring it’s a plug-and-play technology that teachers feel confident to deploy and manage in the classroom.”

While Xcelerate expands ClassVR to the high school and higher education spaces, Xplorer delivers a next-gen headset for K-12. Developed in direct response to demand for more advanced and sophisticated VR/AR experiences, Xplorer is built to deliver richer learning with a new 4K Ultra-HD display, upgraded LCD screen, and enhanced audio. 

Both headsets are powered by high-performance Snapdragon®* XR Platforms from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. By using the very latest in processing power, Avantis has future-proofed the headsets to keep pace with rapidly evolving VR/AR content. 

“Our collaboration with Avantis Education is helping redefine what’s possible in immersive learning,” said Sahil Bansal, Senior Director, Product Management at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “With our Snapdragon processors at the heart of Xcelerate and Xplorer, the new headsets power richer VR/AR content than ever before. Together, we are bringing Avantis’ most advanced solutions to market – helping to transform XR experiences and enhance learning for students worldwide.”

For the first time, schools in the UK & U.S. can access ClassVR’s most advanced headset through an affordable monthly subscription, making it easier than ever to bring immersive learning into the classroom without large upfront costs. Xcelerate is sold in sets of four, while Xplorer is available in sets of eight or 30. With flexible offerings to suit different classroom needs, schools can now integrate world-class VR/AR technology with confidence and ease.

To learn more about Xcelerate, visit https://www.classvr.com/vr-headsets/xcelerate-headset/.

To learn more about Xplorer, visit https://www.classvr.com/vr-headsets/xplorer-headset/.

About Avantis

Avantis Education, the creators of ClassVR, provides simple classroom technology used by more than two million students in over 90 countries.

The world’s first virtual reality technology designed just for education provides everything a school needs to seamlessly implement VR technology in any classroom, all at an affordable price.

To learn more visit www.classvr.com.

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*Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.

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Boston – Aug. 25, 2025 – VHS Learning, a nonprofit helping high schools add more course choices for their students, today announced new partnerships with high schools across the United States and around the world. These schools are joining more than 500 others already using VHS Learning to expand their programs of study and provide students with access to over 200 teacher-led online courses to earn high school credit.

The newest participating schools include:

– Beijing City International School – Beijing, China

– Stratford Academy – Macon, Georgia

– International School of Brindisi – Brindisi, Italy

– Olivet Academy – Amenia, New York

– Cloudcroft High School – Cloudcroft, New Mexico

– Notre Dame Jr./Sr. High School – East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

– Red Lion Christian School – Red Lion, Pennsylvania

– Weston Public Schools – Weston, Connecticut

– Collingswood High School – Collingswood, New Jersey

– Codman Academy Charter School – Dorchester, Massachusetts

“Schools worldwide are seeking cost-effective ways to expand their course catalogs, address staffing challenges, and give students learning opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have,” said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. “By partnering with VHS Learning, these schools can provide their students with turnkey access to rigorous, teacher-led online courses that help them not only earn credits toward high school graduation, but also prepare them for success in college, careers, and beyond.”

With 30 years of expertise in online learning for high school students, VHS Learning pairs rigorous curriculum with experienced instructors who bring depth and passion to their subjects. Courses are designed not only to prepare students for college and careers, but also to help them build essential skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, time management, and communication. By working with high school certified teachers and peers from around the world, students gain both academic knowledge and lifelong learning habits that set them up for future success.

“We are proud to welcome these schools into the VHS Learning community,” added DeFuria. “Every new partnership represents students gaining access to new opportunities. Whether it’s increased access to advanced STEM courses, world language offerings, or unique and engaging electives, our goal is to expand educational choices for students everywhere and inspire a lifelong love of learning.”

About VHS Learning

VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with 30 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. More than 500 schools around the world enrolls students in VHS Learning’s 200+ online high school courses — including 31 AP® courses, credit recovery, and enrichment courses — to expand their programs of study. VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) and the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/ and follow on X at @VHSLearning.

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Charlotte, NC (Monday, August 25, 2025)—Starting in the 2025-26 school year, Washington State’s Hockinson School District (HSD) is partnering with Otus and Discovery Education to better track student learning and growth. This new collaboration will help educators make timely, data-informed decisions about what is working in the classroom so students can get the most out of instructional time.

Since its founding in 1870, HSD has focused on preparing all students for future success. Currently, the district’s talented team serves approximately 2,000 students in the district’s elementary, middle, and high schools. HSD’s educators and staff seek to inspire all students to live with strong core values and become competent, responsible learners by developing independent thinkers who can positively contribute to our changing world.

HSD selected the Otus platform because it provides teachers with past and current academic data from a host of sources, including insights from district-wide edtech solutions such as Mystery Science by Discovery Education, which is currently used in HSD classrooms. Using this data, HSD educators are able to set achievable goals for each student and support students more effectively by grouping students with similar needs for focused instruction.

As strong communication between families and schools plays a key role in student success, the HSD team sought a solution that would support the school-to-home connection. The Otus platform will make it easier for families to stay informed about their child’s learning by providing clear updates, easy-to-read progress reports, and visual tools that show how their child is growing over time.

This new collaboration also helps save HSD money by replacing several tools with one that centralizes assessment, grading, data analytics, and progress monitoring in one place. To secure a lower annual cost, the HSD team customized the service package to choose only the features that fit the needs of Hockinson students and staff. As Hockinson School District makes budget adjustments in response to Washington State’s funding shortfall, the district is focusing resources on student programs and academic achievement.

“Integrating Otus into our district solutions provides educators with the data they need in an easy-to-read format, enhancing their ability to support students effectively,” said Steve Marshall, Superintendent of Hockinson School District. “Additionally, Otus will help strengthen our connection with caregivers by keeping families informed of student progress. We are excited to have teachers begin to use this new resource as it will improve their ability visualize student progress in one place and quickly adjust instruction to improve outcomes in a thoughtful, cost-effective manner.”

HSD educators using Otus will receive dedicated professional development from Otus’ team of professional learning experts. Through these interactive professional development sessions, participants will learn best practices for integrating their new digital resources into instruction. Effective professional learning increases student engagement and supports the continued academic development of all students.    

“This unique new collaboration with Otus is a powerful opportunity for Hockinson School District to combine high-quality learning solutions with real-time data analysis to best serve students and educators,” said Jessica Lasher, the Senior Educational Partnerships Manager at Discovery Education. “Discovery Education is proud to help Hockinson School District enhance district educators’ ability to interpret data and deliver life-long results for their community.”

To learn about how Otus and Discovery Education have collaborated to support student achievement, visit www.discoveryeducation.com/Solutions/Otus.

For more information about Otus, visit www.otus.com and stay connected to Otus on social media through X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.   

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.        

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SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 25, 2025 — While chronic absenteeism continues to plague American schools, new data from SchoolStatus, studying 1.3 million students, shows that systematic interventions are working, but at significantly different rates in elementary versus secondary schools.

The analysis of 172 districts during the 2024-25 school year reveals a troubling paradox. Districts using proven attendance strategies achieved overall chronic absenteeism rates of 20.92%, well below the national average of 23.5%. Yet even in these high-performing districts, chronic absenteeism climbs relentlessly from fifth grade (14%) to senior year (32%).

“Data from the most recent school year follows similar trends to what we saw over the last three years. Proactive, systematic interventions work. Districts that deploy attendance interventions have chronic absenteeism rates nearly 3 percentage points better than the national average,” said Dr. Kara Stern, Director of Education at SchoolStatus. “But this year’s data also challenges conventional wisdom about family engagement. The steep decline in attendance from middle school onward suggests that maintaining strong family partnerships may be even more important as students get older.”

Three Critical Discoveries

The findings from SchoolStatus’s 2024-25 End-of-Year Student Attendance Report reveal some key differences between districts that successfully reduce chronic absenteeism and overall national recovery rates.

Elementary intervention delivers dramatically better results than high school efforts. First-graders achieved 12.6% improvement in chronic absenteeism rates over the school year, while seniors actually saw chronic absenteeism increase by 0.8%. In practical terms, elementary intervention helps approximately 1 student per classroom avoid chronic absence status. Across a 500-student elementary school, this represents 12-13 fewer chronically absent students. This substantial difference suggests that elementary-focused strategies build a strong foundation, but the real challenge lies in maintaining those gains through the vulnerable middle school years.

The secondary spiral follows a predictable pattern. Student attendance deterioration accelerates systematically from the middle school transition onward. Chronic rates more than double from 5th grade (14.22%) to 12th grade (32.13%), creating opportunities for targeted intervention when districts track early warning indicators like partial-day absences, tardiness patterns, and family communication response rates during those critical transition years.

Family engagement works across all demographics, but equity gaps persist. Nearly 1 in 2 families respond positively to systematic outreach, with more than 334,000 Hispanic/Latino students improving attendance after one intervention letter. However, response rates vary significantly, from 50.1% among Asian families to 37.7% among American Indian families, a 12-percentage-point gap that represents thousands of students requiring additional intervention.

Breaking National Trends Through Systematic Approaches

While national chronic absenteeism improvement has slowed—from a 3-point decrease in 2022-23 to just 1.9 points in 2023-24—the 172 districts in this analysis continued to improve in 2024-25, reducing rates from 21.9% to 20.92%. With national 2024-25 data not yet available but early indicators suggesting persistent challenges, these districts demonstrate that systematic approaches can maintain progress even as national recovery stalls.

The complete 2024-25 End-of-Year Student Attendance Report, including detailed findings and free implementation resources, is available here.

About SchoolStatus 

SchoolStatus gives educators the clarity and tools they need to get students to class and keep them moving ahead. The robust portfolio of solutions improves attendance, increases family engagement, supports educator development, and enhances administrative efficiency for thousands of districts and over 22 million students across all 50 states. By combining student insight, better systems, and meaningful support, SchoolStatus helps teachers and staff focus on students—making it easier to see what matters, act with speed, and stay focused on students.

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Charlotte, NC (Monday, August 18, 2025)—Wisconsin’s Whitnall School District (WSD) today announced that it has selected several new adaptive and engaging edtech solutions from Discovery Education for classroom use. These new digital resources will be used by teachers districtwide to enhance instruction and support student achievement in math, science, and reading. Discovery Education is the maker of essential PreK-12 learning solutions used in classrooms around the world.

The Whitnall School District is a dynamic public school system serving the village of Hales Corners and the cities of Franklin and Greenfield in Wisconsin. With a student population of approximately 2,500 and a dedicated team of around 500 employees, Whitnall prides itself on fostering a supportive and innovative learning environment that empowers every student to succeed.

To continue WSD’s tradition of academic excellence, personalized learning, and cultivating a culture of inclusion and growth, district leaders sought interactive, adaptive math, science, and reading resources for classroom use. Following a careful review of potential solutions, WSD selected the following solutions from Discovery Education:

Discovery Education Experience: The essential companion for engaged classrooms, Discovery Education Experience is a supplemental cross-curricular digital resource that inspires teachers, motivates students, and supports instruction in all academic disciplines. Designed expressly for K-12 schools, Experience delivers all-in-one, ready-to-teach lessons and strategies, exciting career exploration resources, standards-aligned content, and flexible tools for differentiation and assessment. Recently, Discovery Education announced a host of new enhancements to Discovery Education Experience that includes new tools and resources, AI technology, additional career explorations, and more. WSD will use Discovery Education Experience to support both science and social studies instruction among other disciplines.

Discovery Education Science Techbooks: The Discovery Education Science Techbook series is a complete, research-backed science solution for grades K-12. Used in classrooms across the United States, the Science Techbook series drives engagement with exclusive phenomena and interactive content. The Science Techbooks that will be used by WSD middle and elementary students are standards-aligned and feature virtual and hands-on investigations, STEM activities, and instructional supports that enhance the delivery of impactful, blended instruction. The Science Techbooks also include standards connections and differentiation activities that inform instructional planning and guide three-dimensional learning. Available with the Science Techbooks are coordinated teacher guides offering unit, concept, and lesson overviews, accompanying print resources and pre-packaged kits that make classroom activities easy to implement. 

Discovery Education’s Science Techbook is certified as meeting the rigorous, evidence-based ESSA Tier III standards as set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Multiple studies show that regular use of Discovery Education Science Techbook in the classroom has many positive academic results for educators and students across a variety of districts and populations in the United States. This research and more can be found here. 

DreamBox Math: Updated earlier this year with a host of improvements that empower teachers to create even more personalized learning experiences, DreamBox Math by Discovery Education adapts dynamically to the learner, providing tailored instruction within a highly engaging, gamified learning environment. DreamBox Math lessons are available in both English and Spanish, and now over 900 students have access to DreamBox Math across the district.

Along with actionable reporting and tools that empower differentiation for all learners, DreamBox Math offers teachers content-specific professional learning and provides administrators critical insights into student progress. With DreamBox Math, every student is empowered to independently engage in interactive problem solving so they can develop conceptual understanding, apply a variety of strategies, and gain competence and confidence in mathematical reasoning and skills.

DreamBox Reading Plus: DreamBox Reading Plus by Discovery Education develops silent reading fluency and comprehension, improving reading proficiency by as much as 2.5 grade levels in a single school year. DreamBox Reading Plus is an evidence-based, online literacy program that accelerates learning by providing personalized instruction and intervention for students in grades 3-12.

The Reading Plus adaptive assessment, InSight, provides a fast and effective way to determine students’ academic standing and place them on a personalized learning path to success.

In just forty minutes, educators gain a clear and comprehensive view of each student’s silent reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and motivation. These findings guide reading practice and instruction both within the program and in the classroom.

DreamBox Reading Plus by Discovery Education is certified as meeting the rigorous, evidence-based ESSA Tier III standards as set forth in the Every Student Succeeds Act. This research and more can be found here.  

These new edtech solutions will be used alongside Pivot Interactives (this link no longer available) and Mystery Science, which are already used across the district. Pivot Interactives actively engage students in the exploration of scientific phenomena while developing their skills in science practices. Mystery Science is a digital, K-5, ready-to-use multimedia science and STEM curriculum resource used in more than 50% of United States’ elementary schools each month.

“Our expanded partnership with Discovery Education provides educators with exciting new tools they will use to build dynamic, personalized learning environments that connect all learners to the world beyond the classroom,” said Adam Hengel, the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Whitnall School District. “Together, these resources empower our students to achieve their full potential, and we look forward to seeing them integrated into instruction quickly.”

WSD educators using the new solutions from Discovery Education will receive dedicated professional development from the company’s team of professional learning experts. These learning opportunities for teachers help schools recognize the full return on their edtech investment. Through Discovery Education’s interactive professional development sessions, participants will learn best practices for integrating their new digital resources into instruction. Effective professional learning increases student engagement and supports the continued academic development of all students.   

In addition, all educators using Discovery Education’s digital resources have access to the Discovery Educator Network or DEN. A global community of education professionals, the DEN connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable idea sharing and inspiration.  This year, the DEN is celebrating 20 years of connecting educators to their most valuable resource: each other. Educators interested in learning more this powerful professional learning community and joining the DEN can visit the DEN homepage here

“Discovery Education is proud to support the Whitnall School District’s team in their mission to build supportive and innovative learning environments that empower every student to succeed,” said Rachel Sholtis, Discovery Education Account Executive. “This new comprehensive suite of digital solutions will inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning for all students, and we look forward to continuing to support the talented team at WSD in their work.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s award-winning digital resources and professional learning solutions, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.