Ohio's Canton City School District Increases Math Achievement Using Texas Instruments Graphing Technology

DALLAS and SAN DIEGO, July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Once facing a significant challenge to improve its middle school math scores on state assessment exams, Ohio's Canton City School District (CCS) today has improved student success after completing a two-year initiative to integrate the Texas Instruments TI- Navigator(TM) Classroom Learning System and graphing calculators into math classrooms. As a result of the initiative, all four of the district's middle schools increased their scores on the most recent statewide math achievement test, and three schools nearly doubled their scores from the previous year.

The initiative began following the 2003-2004 school year, when CCS middle school students were scoring well below the statewide average on state assessments. Low student performance required all four of the district's public middle schools to reassess their middle school math programs.

With federal funding secured by Congressman Ralph Regula, CCS implemented The Genesis Mathematics Project, a program to integrate graphing technology into its middle school math classrooms and train teachers on technology-based strategies to improve student performance.

2004-5: Measuring Graphing Technology and TI-Navigator's Impact on Math Achievement

During the pilot testing in the 2004-2005 school year, CCS integrated the TI-Navigator system and graphing calculators into three of its four middle schools. The fourth school relied on traditional, non-technology based instructional strategies.

After completing training courses taught by an educator experienced in using the TI-Navigator system, CCS teachers incorporated the system into their classrooms.

The district commissioned Kent State University's Research Bureau to evaluate individual student growth using online assessments from Scantron Testing and Assessment division's nationally-recognized evaluation tools. Students were assessed three times throughout the school year to measure their progress in developing a strong conceptual understanding in mathematics.

"We were blown away by the results. Students who used TI's graphing calculators along with the TI-Navigator system achieved at a level three times greater than students who did not," said Pam Bernabei-Rorrer, CCS math coach.

2005-2006: Expanding Math Achievement Results

The following year, CCS continued to see dramatic results after installing the technology into the majority of its seventh and eighth grade classrooms. On the most recent statewide math achievement test, all four schools increased their scores over the previous year -- and scores nearly doubled in three of the schools. Preliminary results also show that three of the middle schools have met adequate yearly progress (AYP) as determined by federal standards.

Two features of the TI-Navigator system the district has found most beneficial are Quick Poll, which provides educators with real-time feedback to instantly assess students' understanding of concepts, and LearningCheck(TM), which allows educators to develop and send assessments directly to students' graphing calculators and to evaluate the responses electronically. These assessment techniques have increased collaboration across the schools by allowing CCS educators to compare results, identify effective teaching methods, and share best practices.

"The increased student engagement in math classrooms has become quite apparent. In one middle school survey, students said that math is now tied with lunch as their favorite subject," said Bernabei-Rorrer.

CCS continues to use the TI-Navigator system in its middle schools and has expanded the technology into all of its high school math classes and some science classrooms.

An Example for Other Districts

District officials recently shared the Genesis Project results with U.S. Congressional representatives to provide an example of how other districts can integrate graphing technology to improve student achievement.

"CCS is truly a success story when it comes to leaders' and teachers' commitment to improving student engagement and math performance using graphing technology," said Melendy Lovett, president of Texas Instruments Education and Productivity Solutions. "The teachers have impressively integrated TI's research-proven handheld graphing technology into math instruction and are using the TI-Navigator Classroom Learning System for real-time formative assessment."

CCS has an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students and is one of the eight largest urban school systems in Ohio. The district comprises two high schools, two freshman academies, four middle schools, 17 elementary schools and an early childhood kindergarten center. For more information about Canton City Schools, please visit http://www.ccsdistrict.org/ .

For information on TI classroom technology, research, curriculum and professional development resources, visit http://www.education.ti.com/ .

About Texas Instruments

Educational & Productivity Solutions, a business of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of advanced tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications and enabling students and teachers to explore math and science interactively. Designed with leading educators, Texas Instruments' educational technology and services are tested against recognized third-party research on effective instruction and improved student learning. Such research shows that use of graphing calculators and wireless collaborative technology in the classroom helps teachers implement instructional strategies that lead to higher student interest, engagement and achievement in mathematics.* For more than 15 years, TI has worked closely with educators and administrators to develop student-focused curricular and supplemental classroom materials, and it supports the world's largest professional development organization for the appropriate use of educational technology. More information is available at http://www.education.ti.com/ .

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company includes the Educational & Productivity Solutions business. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.

Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com/ .

* See http://www.education.ti.com/research for more information.