How York School District One Combines HQIM and Exact Path to Serve Every Student

If you visit York School District One (YSD1) in South Carolina, you might see a group of third graders eagerly sharing their data notebooks. You may hear one student say, “I’m yellow on this standard right now, but by Friday I’m hoping to be green.” This kind of ownership over learning is the product of a districtwide commitment to pairing strong Tier 1 instruction with targeted, data-driven support.

Elissa Cox, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning in YSD1, has been a driving force behind this approach. “We are very intentional with the tools that we use,” she says. “We stay laser focused on what will help students grow, and we’ve seen incredible results.”

Tier 1 First: Doing the Core Work Well

YSD1 has invested deeply in high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) as the foundation of its teaching and learning framework. The district uses HMH’s Into Reading for grades K-5, McGraw-Hill’s Study Sync for grades 6-8, and HMH’s Into Literacy for grades 9-12. 

But Cox is quick to note that even the most highly rated materials are not enough on their own.

“You have to keep in mind that any product is only 70 to 80% aligned to your standards,” she says. “When you’re designing lessons or planning units, you start with your indicators and standards in mind. Then you look at which tools—and often multiple tools—will help deliver that instruction.”

This mindset has shifted teacher practice in powerful ways. Rather than teaching straight from the textbook, YSD1 educators collaborate around standards-first planning, flexibly group students based on data, and integrate small-group and differentiated instruction into daily lessons.

“It’s tough work, but when you get a teacher or grade level doing it really, really well, it’s important to give them time to collaborate and share what’s working, both within their building and across the district,” says Cox.

From Pilot to Districtwide: Choosing Exact Path for Tier 2

Three years ago, YSD1 faced a challenge: Middle school growth had plateaued, and the district needed a better way to address unfinished learning. That’s when they piloted Exact Path, Edmentum’s personalized instruction tool.

“Even in a short pilot period, we could see that Exact Path was having a greater impact than our previous tool,” Cox recalls. “We ran the numbers, and the return on investment was clear.”

Armed with that data, the district made the bold move to adopt districtwide licenses and phase out the competing platform. “Change is hard, but we showed our teachers side-by-side results and the impact was undeniable.”

Each building was given flexibility to determine its “entry point” for implementation. Some schools wove Exact Path into WIN time, some used it during flex periods, and others integrated it into small-group Tier 1 instruction.

“We focused on helping teachers and principals see the value and take ownership,” adds Cox.

Building Buy-In: Professional Learning and Engagement

Early on, not every teacher was comfortable with the tool’s rigor— particularly in math.

“At first, teachers worried that Exact Path was too hard for students,” Cox explains. “We had to build teacher confidence and show that it was aligned to the depth of knowledge students truly need.”

Professional development became a cornerstone of implementation. The district invested time in helping teachers unpack standards, interpret Exact Path reports, and use the data to guide reteaching and small-group work.

To keep students motivated, YSD1 introduced schoolwide and grade-level trophy challenges. Winning classes and schools celebrated their success, which added a layer of friendly competition and drove consistent usage.

“Doing those challenges really amped up everyone’s competitive side,” Cox says. “It made Exact Path something students looked forward to rather than just another assignment.”

Results You Can See—and Feel

By the end of the first year, three schools—Hunter Street Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, and York Middle School—had already seen meaningful growth. Encouraged by those results, the district went “all in” during year two, setting weekly usage targets and continuing to build capacity.

The payoff was tangible:

• Jefferson Elementary moved from a “good” to “excellent” school rating.
• Hunter Street Elementary maintained its excellent rating while improving growth scores, especially in ELA.
• Harold C. Johnson Elementary is poised for a major accountability rating jump, based on its most recent data.

But Cox points out that the impact is not just in the numbers.

“We’ve had teachers from across our state as well as a group from Montana come and observe our classrooms,” she says. “They’ve listened to third graders speak directly to the standards they mastered and the ones they were still working on. Those students could articulate their own data and talk about their goals. That’s the kind of student agency we want for every child.”

More Than Intervention: A Comprehensive Approach

Today, Exact Path is used with students in grades 2–10. It is not just a Tier 2 intervention, but a part of YSD1’s overall teaching and learning framework. 

Teachers review progress weekly, form skill-based groups, and provide targeted reteaching. At the high school level, Exact Path also plays a key role in content recovery, allowing students to reengage with priority skills in real time instead of waiting for summer school.

“As a teacher, it’s often difficult to know exactly how to reteach or what resource to use,” Cox says. “Exact Path has been a game changer because it gives teachers that clarity and saves time.”

This structured, multi-tiered system of support is especially critical given that 75% of YSD1 students enter kindergarten not ready. “Closing that gap is urgent work. Exact Path allows us to target skills precisely and accelerate learning so students can catch up.”

A System, Not a Single Solution

Cox is adamant that YSD1’s success comes from clarity and alignment rather than chasing the next shiny tool.

“We’ve been very clear: Exact Path is our growth tool, MasteryConnect is how we measure achievement, and our HQIM are for content delivery,” she says. “That focus keeps everyone on the same page and makes it easier to see what’s working.”

This clarity has reduced tool fatigue, streamlined professional learning, and created a sense of shared ownership among teachers and principals. It’s also helped the district tell its story to the wider education community.

For Cox, the takeaway is simple: When a district finds a model that works, it should lean into it.

York School District One has built a balanced system that starts with strong Tier 1 instruction, layers in targeted Tier 2 supports, and puts students at the center. 

Related Reading: How Furman Middle School Combines High-Quality Teaching with Targeted Intervention