Spanish closed captions in Imagine Learning EL Education Module Overview videos

Imagine Learning | EL Education

January 2024

Module overview videos now have Spanish closed captions

Spanish closed captions have been added to our Module Overview videos

With the addition of Spanish closed captioning, students and families who are Spanish speaking can fully engage with our module overview videos, strengthening the home-to-school connection.

Access by clicking on the closed caption icon at the bottom of the video and selecting Español.

Updated Features for Educators and Students in Imagine EdgeEX

Imagine EdgeEX

January, 2024

Check out the latest updates in Imagine EdgeEX

ELA courses now available in Imagine EdgeEX

We are thrilled to announce that English language arts courses for grades 9–12 are now available in addition to math courses in Imagine EdgeEX!

Imagine EdgeEX professional development webinars

Are you adopting Imagine EdgeEX in 2024? Join our Professional Development experts for one of our upcoming sessions to learn some of the best practices for using Imagine EdgeEX as an educational leader and ensuring success for you, your teachers, and students. 

Register now!

Expanded test prep and Intelli-sync options

Imagine School Services

January 2024

Small Group Targeted Instruction expanding to test prep

Starting in March 2024, we’ll also be offering test prep group sessions for national exams, such as ACT®, SAT®, and AP®, as well as state exams and EOCs. Learn more about our small-group intervention offering.

Learn More

Intelli-Sync now available for grades 7–8 math and ELA

To help address those critical middle school staffing gaps, we’ve expanded Intelli-Sync to grades 7–8 math and ELA.

Our Intelli-Sync service includes:

  • A teacher of record who delivers whole-class, live instruction and individualized student support
  • Engaging online curriculum
  • Access to On-Demand Tutoring
  • Exceptional education coordination

Learn More about how you can bring synchronous instruction to your middle and high school students.

Imagine Language & Literacy 20th Anniversary Enhancements

January, 2024

Time to celebrate 20 years of Imagine Language & Literacy!

Over the past two decades, we have partnered with districts, schools, teachers, and students to provide research-backed instruction and practice to improve literacy AND language skills for PreK–6 students across the globe. To celebrate, we have made some exciting updates to the product you know and love to show our continued commitment to quality content and engagement.

What have we added?

31 new books across grades 2–5 to
add rigorous content

7 new activities that accompany each new book to enhance skills coverage in vocabulary, reading comprehension, speaking, and writing.

These activities have created 11 additional hours of engaging content to help your students succeed.

Even more exciting? We have a new theme song with new characters! The Mazels live in different worlds on the shelves of a child’s bedroom. They come to life in the new theme song which gives previews of the new activities students will encounter.

Watch for Yourself

What have we recreated?

Spellball

Now with 3 sports to keep students excited to practice regularly spelled word

Word Survivor

Newly re-envisioned, this phonological awareness activity now features a fun and colorful spaceship theme!

New and Updated Print Resources:

Spark interest and creativity while introducing your students to the new Imagine Language & Literacy characters with new coloring sheets, progress trackers, and printable stickers.

Let students express themselves with their own colorful artwork with the added benefit of fine motor skills practice for younger students. Teachers can use the fun progress trackers and sticker sheets to motivate and engage students in learning.

New 8th Grade Python Course, Refined Leaderboards, Posters and Printables in Imagine Robotify

Imagine EdgeEX

January, 2024

Advanced Python for 8th graders

Imagine Learning has launched a captivating advanced Python course in Imagine Robotify, tailored just for 8th graders. The “Flex’s Rescue Training” course intertwines Python programming with engaging ecological challenges, offering a vibrant and interactive learning experience.

To accompany the course, new classroom posters are also available in Educator Resources → Printables → Posters.’

Read More

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A streamlined competition experience

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Imagine Robotify’s game-based competitions foster coding skill development by combining gamification, e-sports, and education. To optimize the teacher and student experience, we’ve implemented the following leaderboard updates:

  • Removed the Wins and Losses columns from the leaderboard
  • Leaderboards are no longer public facing. Students will only see leaderboards for competitions they have joined, and educators will only have access to competitions in their purview.
  • Competitions that have ended will now say “This competition has ended.”

Learn More

“Meet the Robots” coloring pages and posters

Introduce students to the world of Imagine Robotify with all-new “Meet the Imagine Robotify Robots” coloring pages and posters now available in the To accompany the course, new classroom posters are also available in Educator Resources → Printables section.

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January 24, 2024 2:07 pm

What’s in store for edtech in 2024? One expert weighs in

Published by: District Administration

AI will transform how teachers teach and students learn… For AI to be developed effectively, however, it must leverage a foundation of high-quality digital curricula to build trust with educators and school leaders, who must first believe in this technology for it to have a meaningful impact.

Read Full Article

May include subscriber-only content

January 24, 2024 6:00 am

Navigating Career Pathways: The Unseen Value of CTE Programs

Career and technical education (CTE) programs serve as a critical bridge for high school students, offering them the flexibility to pursue higher education, dive directly into the workforce with a competitive edge, or even explore and pivot away from career paths they find less aligned with their interests — saving them time and money while offering them boundless opportunities.

The Game of Life board game really made it seem like the choice between starting with college or starting with a career was the most important decision you could make. It was black or white — start with college and have a chance at a “good job” or start with career and have much fewer opportunities. (In reality, either option could lead to the coveted $100,000 salary… but don’t tell 8-year-old me that.)

While the board game’s ties to real life were flimsy, this fictitious dilemma brings up a real-world misconception: that after high school you could either go to college or start a low-skilled job. Luckily, career and technical education (CTE) courses add so many more choices for today’s graduates. CTE’s unique blend of practical learning, hands-on experience, and direct industry relevance equips students with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the modern workforce.

The focused nature of CTE

The essence of CTE lies in its ability to tailor education to specific career paths, providing a clear, direct line from classroom learning to real-world application. This is a sentiment echoed by educators deeply embedded in the field. Connie Craven, a dedicated CTE teacher with Imagine School Services, highlights the focused nature of CTE courses: “I enjoy teaching CTE classes because they are more specific to a field or career rather than just a generalization. This can help students really see if that is a pathway they would want to pursue, saving them time and money in the future.”

“This can help students really see if that is a pathway they would want to pursue, saving them time and money in the future.”

Connie Craven

CTE Teacher, Imagine School Services

Craven’s observation underscores a crucial benefit of CTE — its capacity to help students make informed decisions about their futures, potentially averting unnecessary educational expenses and detours. This pragmatic approach to learning is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about fostering a sense of direction and purpose. In fact, research shows that the average high school graduation rate of CTE concentrators (students who take more than one CTE course in the same field) is 96%, as compared to the national rate of 85%.

96%

High school graduation rate of CTE concentrators (students who take more than one CTE course in the same field)

Exploration and adaptability

CTE empowers students to explore a range of careers before making a significant commitment to a specific path. This exploration is invaluable, allowing students to discover what truly motivates them and what does not, thus saving time, money, and potential dissatisfaction in the long run. The adaptability and breadth of options available through CTE underscore its critical role in helping students carve out successful, fulfilling careers, whether that means further academic pursuits, immediate employment, or a completely new direction after gaining hands-on experience. Regardless of the path they choose, data shows that “eight years after their expected graduation date, students who focused on career and technical education (CTE) courses while in high school had higher median annual earnings than students who did not focus on CTE.”

Kathy Colquitt, CTE teacher with Imagine School Services, shares her journey through the CTE landscape, from her initial spark of interest in international relations prompted by a teaching opportunity, to the internships and coursework that solidified her career path. “The CTE pathway helped me define my career and pursue degrees in business and international business,” Colquitt reflects. Her story exemplifies the transformative power of CTE, illustrating how targeted educational experiences can shape a student’s academic and professional trajectory.

Preparing for tomorrow’s careers

CTE courses stand apart from traditional education models by offering immersive, applied learning experiences that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Colquitt elaborates on the unique offerings of CTE, stating, “CTE courses provide students with the ability to apply what they have learned within traditional courses into an environment that helps them explore their interests and further develop research and critical thinking skills.” This emphasis on application, coupled with the integration of ethical considerations, prepares students for the realities of the workplace in a way that traditional education often cannot.

Through its focus on specialized skills, practical experience, and direct industry relevance, CTE not only prepares students for the jobs of today but empowers them to shape the careers of tomorrow. As we look to the future, the role of CTE in fostering innovation, driving economic growth, and enhancing workforce readiness will undoubtedly continue to grow, making it an essential element of our collective educational strategy. So, instead of choosing between “start with college” and “start with career,” graduates leave high school on the right path for them.

Help students ignite their passions and find their paths

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January 23, 2024 8:00 am

Summer Learning: Put Students in the Driver’s Seat 

Transform summer school from a chore to a launchpad for success. Discover four dynamic strategies to engage and motivate middle and high schoolers, fostering a sense of ownership and excitement on their educational journey back to school in the fall.

As summer rolls in, middle and high school students are often focused on sun, fun, and forgetting school even exists! That’s why summer school is a tough sell, even (and sometimes especially) for those students who must recover credits to graduate. So how do we get students excited about summer learning? Empower them with agency. 

We know that summer school can get students back on track, maintain their momentum for fall, or get them ahead. Getting students to feel inspired by these possibilities requires them to feel a sense of responsibility for their own education. Here are four ways to give students ownership of their learning: 

1. Help them understand the destination 

If students can understand why they’re there and how this will benefit them, it will help with their motivation. Students want to know why they are tasked with an assignment — so whether they’re there to recover credits they missed during the school year, work on challenging concepts, or just trying to get ahead, once they know the destination, they can focus on achieving their goals. 

2. Set up a roadmap 

Once students understand their overall destination in summer school (credit recovery, concept recovery, getting ahead), they should set manageable goals that will be their roadmap to success. The key to this goal setting exercise is that they are easily attainable. For example, “I will work on my math course for two hours a day.” Once students begin to meet these goals, they will continue to be motivated and feel that their overall success is achievable.  

3. Identify the checkpoints  

Once goals are set, help students develop a system for checking in on their own progress. Help them understand the importance of checking in on their progress. This helps them establish ownership of their learning and ensure they are on track for course completion. Teachers and administrators often have their own goals for their students, but it is also important that students remain invested in their progress and learning as well. 

4. Make time for celebration 

Last, but most certainly not least, make sure to celebrate success along the way. While it is easy to celebrate the big milestones like completing a unit or course, those will be fewer and farther in between. If you wait for those big moments, students could begin to lose sight of the finish line. Making sure to celebrate things like completing a lesson or even just completing the time goal they set for that day can be a great way to ensure students celebrate themselves and feel that their effort is acknowledged. 

From recovering last year’s English credits to revisiting algebra concepts in preparation for fall geometry, summer school success is going to look different for every student and classroom. But whatever the course, if students feel like they are the owners of their learning, that success will carry them through the academic year too.  

Put Your Students in the Driver’s Seat this Summer

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About the Author – Alyssa Osorio

Alyssa Osorio is the Product Marketing Manager for Courseware at Imagine Learning. Prior to joining Imagine Learning, she was a 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts teacher and Subject Area Leader. In her time as an educator, she also worked in summer school and credit recovery positions with the goal of motivating and empowering students to take pride and ownership of their learning and success. 

December 6, 2023 11:15 am

Innovating Computer Science to Close the Gender Gap

Imagine Robotify’s new advanced Python course furthers the program’s commitment to equity, engaging students in ways that close computer science’s gender gap.

Computer science education is on the rise, with several states adopting it as a high school graduation requirement so far. But even as it gains momentum nationwide, female students still lag behind their male peers in enrollment and persistence. This troubling gender gap emerges as early as elementary school, with girls reporting less confidence and interest in computer science compared to boys.

If current trends continue, the tech workforce will remain predominantly male.

teacher observing students working together

To build a more equitable future, we need creative solutions that empower all students to see themselves as capable computer scientists. A compelling computer science curriculum, designed intentionally to engage girls as much as boys, can help close persistent gender gaps.

That’s why Imagine Learning has added an exciting new advanced Python course to our supplemental computer science program, Imagine Robotify, expanding our library of scaffolded coding content for grades 3–8.

In the new course, students will learn to code an interactive robot named Flex. Their Python programs will help Flex support park rangers as they prepare for a prescribed burn in a nearby forest. Students use geometry, sensors, algorithms, and other key computer science concepts to locate animals, clear debris, and contain the burn area. Along the way, they’ll reinforce related math skills like the Pythagorean theorem.

With its interdisciplinary storyline and coding challenges, this course highlights how computer science enables creative problem-solving across subjects, and students get to pilot a relatable robot character, making computer science engaging, collaborative, and accessible.

The course reinforces the “4Cs” of 21st-century learning: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Students develop perseverance and computational thinking as they refine their code. The real-world narrative promotes curiosity in science and sustainability, and by working to protect the forest and its inhabitants, students see how computing can positively impact communities and the planet.

teacher observing students working together

An equitable computer science curriculum can inspire all students, especially girls, through innovation. That’s why, in addition to new courses like this one, Imagine Learning has completely redesigned the educator experience in Imagine Robotify: the instructional model provides more differentiated instruction, added supports for new computer science teachers, and built-in opportunities for unplugged activities to complement the coding experience.

Computer science education is gaining momentum, but persistent gaps remain when it comes to engaging female students. Compelling, cross-disciplinary computer science courses can help close these gaps, and high-quality curriculum and instruction will be key to driving broad, equitable engagement.

We’re excited to keep enhancing Imagine Robotify’s courses and teacher supports to promote equity and access, and we can’t wait for students to begin coding alongside Flex, developing computational thinking skills to take on real-world problems. As computer science education continues to expand, our commitment to quality curriculum and instruction for all learners only grows.

Bring coding to life in your classroom

Download the Poster

December 6, 2023 6:15 am

Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics Study Receives Tier 2 ESSA Evidence Rating

Evidence for ESSA’s recent review of digital-forward core math solution shows high effectiveness for improving student outcomes

Scottsdale, Arizona, December 5, 2023 – Imagine Learning, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the U.S., received a Tier 2 Moderate rating from Evidence for ESSA for a research study assessing students using the Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum. The study was designed to meet the qualifications of Tier 2 Moderate evidence of effectiveness as defined by the Every Student Succeed Act (ESSA) and demonstrates the significant impact that Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics has on mathematics learning outcomes.

An independent research evaluator studied 3,000 students in 149 classrooms across 16 elementary schools in a Missouri school district that implemented the Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics program during the 2022–2023 school year. The Galileo Comprehensive Assessment System (GCAS) and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) were used to measure student achievement.

Effective from initial use, this first-year implementation yielded impressive results and highlights the impact of Imagine Learning Illustrative Math on the MAP assessment (effect size = +0.38), receiving a “Moderate” rating according to Evidence for ESSA. Subgroup analysis also revealed that special education and Free or Reduced Lunch Program students using Imagine Learning Illustrative Math outperformed their peers following the traditional curriculum on the MAP mathematics assessment from spring 2022 to spring 2023.

When surveyed about their perception of Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics, one teacher who took part in the study stated, “The dynamics that come from the problem solving, inquiry model and discussion supports has opened math thinking up for all learners. Students are gaining entry points to the learning, questioning peers for clarity or understanding, and showing me things I never would have thought about before. Trust in the depth and the challenge…the students will rise to it!”

“The positive results we’re seeing in districts with Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics is now validated by an independent evaluator and the efficacy rating from Evidence for ESSA,” adds Dr. Nari Carter, Senior Director of Research at Imagine Learning. “We are excited about the student outcomes associated with this rigorous research that meets ESSA evidence standards.”

Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics has received multiple favorable certifications from third-party resources, including an all-green rating for the three tiers from EdReports, another highly regarded independent nonprofit that reviews K–12 curricula for standards alignment, quality, and usability.

Evidence for ESSA’s evaluation of submitted educational research is processed with rigorous review “to provide clear and authoritative information on programs that meet the ESSA evidence standards and enable educators and communities to select effective educational tools to improve student success.” Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 as the federal law governing K–12 education. Within the bill are stipulations supporting the use of federal dollars on educational programs with evidence of effectiveness.

Imagine Learning prioritizes regular and rigorous research to ensure all Imagine Learning programs and services are built on the foundation of modern learning science principles and optimize student learning outcomes. Additional research will be conducted for Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics to further explore the factors that influence student success in the partner district in Missouri and in many more districts across the nation.

To read the full research study, click HERE.

About Imagine Learning

Every classroom, every student is bursting with potential. That’s why we pursue relentless innovation at the intersection of technology, people, and curricula. Imagine Learning creates K–12 digital-first solutions fueled by insights from educators, working alongside educators to support 15 million students in over half of the districts nationwide. Our core portfolio includes Twig Science®, Imagine Learning Illustrative Mathematics®, and Imagine Learning EL Education®. Our robust supplemental and intervention suite equips learners with personalized instruction for English and Spanish literacy, math, coding, and more. Imagine Edgenuity™ is our flagship courseware solution, complemented by Imagine School Services’ Certified Teachers. Imagine Learning. Empower potential.

Learn more: https://www.imaginelearning.com.

Preview the new Imagine IM program at https://www.imaginelearning.com/imagine-im/.

About Illustrative Mathematics

Illustrative Mathematics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world where all learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics. Imagine Learning is a premier digital partner of Illustrative Mathematics.

To learn more, visit https://illustrativemathematics.org/.