The Challenge: Meeting Every Learner’s Needs

Temple Independent School District (ISD) in Central Texas serves a diverse student population of over 4,000 elementary students, many of whom face economic challenge. As a Title I district, Temple ISD is committed to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—have access to a high-quality education that opens doors to future opportunity.

“Education is the way to anything a student wants to do or be in the future,” said Dr. Sara Watson, executive director of elementary education at Temple ISD. “Career, military, college—education is the venue, and we owe it to our children to provide quality instruction and opportunities they might not otherwise have.”

The district’s instructional team recognized a key challenge: The existing core curriculum, while sound, could also benefit from a partner resource to address the wide range of academic needs students had. Teachers needed a tool that could provide targeted, personalized support without adding an overwhelming burden.

“We knew differentiation was critical, but in a classroom of 22 students where 18 might need something different, we had to find a solution that wouldn’t burn our teachers out,” explained Dr. Watson. “We needed something aligned to our standards, evidence-based, and that could work with the tools we already had—especially our universal screener.”

The Solution: Personalized Intervention with Exact Path

To address this need, Temple ISD implemented Edmentum Exact Path, a K–12, diagnostic-driven, intervention program built to personalize learning in math and reading. With a seamless connection to NWEA MAP Growth assessments, the online platform is aligned with district goals to increase instructional time.

“We didn’t want to over-assess our kids,” commented Dr. Watson. “Exact Path integrates directly with MAP, so we could jump straight into action from our existing data.”

Ashley Jones, director of digital learning at Temple ISD, emphasized the importance of equity in selecting a platform that could serve all learners: “Exact Path supports our entire district—elementary, secondary, special education. We can address learning needs and monitor progress equitably without asking teachers to juggle five different tools.”

From day one, implementation was intentional and collaborative. The district began with baseline training and asked teachers simply to explore the tool. Over time, teachers introduced more structured use during small-group time and intervention blocks, supported by blended instruction and data review.

Mrs. Jones stated, “We did lunch-and-learns, sat in on PLCs [professional learning communities], and walked teachers through real-time usage reports. Our digital learning coaches helped connect the data to daily instruction, making it less about the tech and more about what students needed next.”

Teachers and instructional coaches learned how to interpret Exact Path data; respond to students’ progress in real time; and pull targeted, standards-aligned resources for reteaching and enrichment.

Temple ISD also trained principals and even libraries to ensure consistent and widespread support. 

“Our librarians serve as G/T [gifted/talented] teachers,” reported Dr. Watson. “With Exact Path, we could close skill gaps for high-achieving students and help them extend their learning even further.”

The district also began using Exact Path’s Standards Mastery feature for grades 3–5 to track grade-level proficiency in real time. 

“It’s been a powerful check-in tool aligned to tier-1 instruction,” Mrs. Jones noted.

Dr. Watson added, “As we got into the second semester and started preparing for STAAR [state assessments], Standards Mastery really helped. It allowed teachers to reinforce specific standards and ensure students were ready.”

The Results: Gains Across NWEA and STAAR Assessments in All Student Groups

The impact of Exact Path was immediate and measurable. One of the most encouraging trends came from improved outcomes on STAAR and NWEA MAP Growth assessments.

“We saw a strong correlation between success in Exact Path and growth on both MAP and STAAR,” remarked Dr. Watson. “When students mastered skills in Exact Path, we saw that reflected in their test performance.”

Among the most notable outcomes:

• Students receiving G/T services saw an 18% increase in meeting expected growth, rising from around 50% to nearly 70%.
• Students previously projected not to pass STAAR, including those in special populations, showed mastery after consistent Exact Path use.

The district also saw culture-wide changes fueled by data and engagement:

• Students set learning goals and tracked progress, proudly earning digital rewards and celebrating milestones on hallway posters and in growth parades.
• Principals became champions of the program, using real-time data to guide instructional decisions, challenge classrooms, and spark competition.
• Teachers embraced the platform with minimal pushback thanks to intuitive design, high-quality resources, and professional development support.

“We’ve implemented a lot of tools, and there’s usually some resistance,” asserted Mrs. Jones. “But with Exact Path, the feedback was different. Teachers saw its value immediately—and that made a huge difference.”

This success has led Temple ISD to expand Exact Path to secondary and special education classrooms districtwide in the 2025–26 school year.

“We’re working to ensure our special education teachers have the same level of training and access,” Dr. Watson described. “They deserve to feel just as confident and supported because their students deserve the same opportunity for growth.”

The Bottom Line: Strategic Implementation with Transformational Results

Temple ISD’s journey with Exact Path is a model of how strategic leadership, purposeful planning, and collaborative implementation can drive student achievement and equity at scale.

“Our success came from being thoughtful,” observed Mrs. Jones. “We didn’t just adopt a tool—we identified our gaps, planned our indicators for success, and invested in every stakeholder.”

Dr. Watson agreed: “If you’re a district leader considering [Exact Path], start with a pilot. Find your pioneers. Let them experience the results and carry the message to their peers. That’s what made the difference for us.”

Through Exact Path, Temple Independent School District isn’t just improving test scores. It’s delivering on a promise: that all students deserve the chance to grow, no matter their starting point.