Press Release

Grand Prairie ISD students not only improve TAKS scores in math, reading, and writing, but increase 21st century skills and narrow the achievement gap as well.

Dallas, Texas — Sept. 13, 2010 — Last fall, Grand Prairie Independent School District (ISD) took one small step for Texas and one giant leap for K-12 education as the first district in the nation to launch a digital teaching platform After its first year of implementation, the district reports that teachers and students who used the web-based platform, called Time To Know, achieved significantly higher gains on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) than students in comparable schools using traditional teaching methods and curriculum.

During the 2009-10 school year, Grand Prairie ISD set out to transform teaching and learning by implementing a one-to-one computing model — where every student and teacher has access to a personal portable computer in a wireless environment — and the Time To Know digital teaching platform in two classes each at Austin Elementary and Whitt Elementary schools. Teachers used the web-based system to guide their classes using an engaging digital curriculum integrated with tools for real-time classroom management, monitoring, planning, assessment and collaboration.

On the 2010 TAKS, the Time To Know students achieved statistically significant gains in mathematics, reading and writing, and outscored students in control classrooms in the district. A greater proportion of Time To Know students also reached the “Met The Standard” and “Commended” performance levels on the TAKS. In mathematics, 93 percent of the Time To Know students reached these levels and achieved proficiency on the TAKS, compared to 66 percent of the control students. In reading, 90 percent of the Time To Know students achieved proficiency, compared to 69 percent of the control students. In writing, 98 percent of the Time To Know students achieved proficiency, compared to 92 percent of the control students. In addition, the Time To Know students significantly increased their TAKS scores in mathematics and reading from the third grade in 2009 to the fourth grade in 2010.

“Placing curriculum software in the classroom or even a computer in the hands of every student is only one step toward truly changing teaching and learning. What’s unique about the Time To Know digital teaching platform is that it enhances the teachers’ role as mentor and coach by allowing them to spend less time presenting basic content and more time guiding and advising students,,” said Dr. Susan Simpson, superintendent for Grand Prairie ISD. “The teacher controls each lesson with real-time tools to manage all classroom activities and deliver an individualized curriculum to each student. By combining the teacher’s expertise with the power of 21st century technology tools, we are addressing each student’s unique needs and improve the quality of learning for all, as evidenced by students’ remarkable gains.”

The TAKS results follow on the heels of an independent study conducted by Rockman, et al in Grand Prairie ISD earlier this year, which showed that the Time To Know students far outperformed the control students in 21st century skills such as math reasoning abilities. Students in the Time To Know classes also spent more time using authentic tasks and problems, and more time explaining their reasoning. Further, lower performing students made the greatest gains, narrowing the achievement gap in math. For the 2010-2011 school year, Whitt and Austin Elementary will be expanding the Time To Know program into all 4th and 5th grade classes for mathematics and English language arts.

About the Digital Teaching Platform

The digital teaching platform is a new educational product category in K-12 education. The web-based platform functions as the primary instructional environment in a one-to-one computing classroom, where every student and teacher has access to a personal portable computer in a wireless environment. The digital teaching platform includes a comprehensive digital curriculum and tools that empower the teacher to manage instruction, learning and assessment. Unlike supplemental software, the digital teaching platform operates in a teacher-led classroom as the primary carrier of core curriculum content. Using this platform, teachers can seamlessly blend digital and traditional instructional activities to deeply engage 21st century learners, address diverse teaching and learning styles, and improve student performance.

About Time To Know

Introduced in Israel in 2007 and launched in the United States in 2009, Time To Know is a complete, interactive curriculum system designed specifically for today’s one-to-one computing classrooms. By creating a new educational product category, the Digital Teaching Platform, Time To Know is helping school districts improve the quality of teaching and learning, while fully realizing the vision of one-to-one computing. For more information, please visit www.timetoknow.com or call 888-559-6560.