Challenge

During the summer of 2023, leadership at East Central Independent School District (ECISD) in San Antonio, Texas, began to put an action plan in place to address significant educational gaps among its students, particularly at the middle and high school levels. In prioritizing this effort, it was paramount that ECISD found a program that could operate independently to support accelerated instruction periods without adding to the teachers’ already-extended workload. These needs underscored the necessity for an adaptable, student-driven platform that could bridge academic gaps and accommodate varying instructional contexts.

Solution

At the beginning of the 2023–24 school year, the district adopted Edmentum Exact Path to provide individualized intervention for math and reading at the secondary level, and it was used selectively by middle and high school teachers. Middle school teachers found that integrating Exact Path into their daily WIN, or “What I Need” time, worked effectively for students and for themselves.

“We have some kids who are getting a tutoring service, some kids who are getting direct instruction from the teacher, and some kids who are working on their path,” described Deborah Goforth, instructional technology specialist at ECISD. “[Exact Path] gives the teacher freedom to be able to monitor all of that and facilitate the different things that the kids need.”

Based on early feedback, the district quickly expanded Exact Path to elementary levels for additional enrichment opportunities. Teachers appreciated the program’s flexibility, which allowed them to assign targeted lessons and support small-group instruction in addition to the personalized learning paths that students were given.

The second year of Exact Path has included a more structured implementation and recurring professional development. 

“Our Edmentum consultant was at our new teacher professional development at the beginning of the year and did some returning teacher sessions as well,” Mrs. Goforth explained. “She briefly covered how to use the platform but mostly covered how to find information to use it better, and it was so good.” 

The district expanded the use of the Exact Path diagnostics to include all secondary students and teachers because it aligned better with identifying and addressing math and reading needs. At the elementary level, teachers leveraged the platform for differentiated instruction, enabling advanced learners to tackle more challenging material while maintaining engagement.

Result

The implementation of Exact Path has provided several tangible benefits across ECISD: 

• Student Engagement Is Higher: Students follow personalized learning paths, which minimize boredom and behavioral issues, especially for advanced learners. A standout example involved a second grader performing at a fourth-grade level who was guided by his teacher to use Exact Path to extend his learning without requiring additional lesson planning on the part of his classroom teacher. 
• Teachers Are Supported: Teachers gained confidence in managing diverse skill levels within a single classroom. Exact Path’s user-friendly tools, such as pencil-paper activities, online
  lessons, and scaffolded lesson plans, helped teachers streamline instruction.
• Insights into Student Knowledge Are Data-Driven: Exact Path’s diagnostic tools allowed teachers to track progress and address gaps effectively. While investments in progress monitoring strategies remain ongoing, Exact Path significantly enhanced instructional planning. 

Mrs. Goforth explained the importance of relationship building, “You build those relationships with us, and then we get to build them with you. It does make it such a better experience for everyone because then school districts don’t feel like they’ve been sold to and abandoned.”