We have ABSOLUTELY seen an improvement in reading comprehension. Students are reading for a purpose. They are looking for answers, or at least clues, using a format that they know will provide results, they just have to unlock the truth in front of them.
– Mr. Brian Delaney, Principal Douglas Public Schools, MA
Last year was my first year to teach 6th grade ELA. I was very worried about teaching writing because I had never been taught how to write myself during my own education. I actually started enjoying writing for the first time in my life, and I was so excited to share my stories with my students. The lessons were so fun and engaging, and the students gained confidence in their writing skills (just like I did!) When I finally got to see the results of the ACT Aspire test, I was literally in tears. Some of my lowest achieving students scored above the 90 percentile in writing!
– 6th Grade Teacher
Our first year of teaching this program, which was 2014, our scores for writing were 92%. Remember, 2013 was 74%. Our scores continued to improve. In 2015 our writing scores were 97%, and in 2016 writing scores were 96%. I don’t think we could ask for much better results. I totally believe in this program. We have teachers who are not afraid to teach writing and kids who love to write. All I have to say is, Thank you so much Empowering Writers!!!
– Karen McGlothin, Highland Park Elementary Nederland ISD
Each grade level could see the foundation that would then support the next grade level. Not only did the use of authentic literature build our campus wide writing program, it aided in connecting our Comprehension and Writing.
Our teachers were very pleased, as they walked out of each training because they felt as though this perfectly aligned to the realistic needs of the classroom. Regardless of the State Writing Test that is given each year, I believe Empowering Writers was the foundation that we needed.
– Kelly Kelly, Active Learning Leader, Tippin Elementary
In 2007, the elementary teachers of St Jerome’s School in Vermilion, Alberta attended Empowering Writers instruction in an effort to improve their students‘ writing. The results were immediate. St. Jerome’s teachers have maintained this high standard of writing for the past 4 years.
In the 2009-2010 school year, the East Region administration of Houston ISD brought in Empowering Writers to improve student writing and test scores in 35 schools. The lowest performing schools raise their writing scores an average of 11.3% with Empowering Writers approach to improving writing.
How did Title One schools in Houston ISD achieve double-digit improvement in writing scores? What was it that allowed South Carolina’s Richland 1 School District to see similar results within their Title One schools?
“Because of Empowering Writers training and coaching, our teachers have the skills and strategies to be successful with writing instruction. We are thrilled to see our students’ writing and have achieved increased test results.”
– Rebecca Clark, Elementary ELA Consultant, Richland One