Connecticut charter chooses digital math platform

Amistad Academy Middle School in New Haven, Conn., the flagship school in Achievement First’s public charter school network in New York and Connecticut, has selected Time To Know’s Digital Teaching Platform for its fifth grade math curriculum.

The school will pilot the platform in one classroom and hopes to expand the interactive, teacher-led curriculum platform to additional classes by December.

“We chose Time To Know because of its real-time data assessment capability, which will allow us to evaluate how well each of our students is learning on an ongoing basis,” said Dan Cogan-Drew, Achievement First director of digital learning. “We believe this platform, which integrates standards-based curriculum with interactive lessons that engage students, is indicative of an important new trend. At Achievement First, we want to be at the forefront of innovative practices that help students learn.”

The platform will allow the teacher to build daily lesson plans based on the Common Core Standards, customize assignments for students based on their current levels of achievement, and monitor student progress in real time. The platform’s interactive and gallery features will allow students to post their work for peer review and collaborate with others on projects.

To implement the system, the school has purchased laptops for each student in the pilot class. The classroom teacher will receive a full day of training with a Time To Know instructional coach prior to the start of school, and will continue to be supported with a blend of on-site and remote support throughout the school year. Students will begin using Time To Know on Aug. 29, when school begins.

Recent research from schools in Texas and New York that already use Time To Know’s digital teaching platform has shown an increase in students’ math reasoning and critical thinking skills.