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Measuring Up Program
Arizona
"We use the Measuring Up Diagnostic Practice Tests as an indicator of success on the state mandated testing. My school district is excited about the product and many other of our neighboring districts have also decided to implement this program in their schools as well. It was a pleasure to work on this series for Peoples Education. I look forward to working on additional series for the company in the next few years."
-Wesley Yandell Jr., MA Ed, Billy Lane Lauffer Middle School, Sunnyside Unified School District, Tucson, AZ
California
"Having used the program in many different types of classroom settings, I have found the program to be extremely flexible. This flexibility extends to meeting the needs of my students' various aptitudes, on time constraints in scheduling, and meeting the California state standards.
This is not "teaching to the test." This is teaching the standards in a concise way that allows your students to perform well on the test.
- This program can be "lecture style," individualized and/or self-directed.
- It can be all three in one class period!
- It maximizes the students' learning with minimal prep time for the teacher.
-Nik Eaks, Alhambra High School, Sophomore Literature
"I used Measuring Up just last month with my 11th graders. I am completely impressed! I especially like the way differing levels could be taught within the same class. Anyone can use the reading comprehension passages that have the 'Guided Questions' to teach at grade level... all year long. The teaching of active, analytical reading is essential across the curriculum and the selections from Measuring Up make that kind of effective instruction possible. It's not just good instruction for test preparation; it's good instruction... period.
I will recommend Measuring Up to anyone who will listen!"
-Kimberley Gilles, Teacher, Del Amigo High School, San Ramon Valley Unified School District
"All students are not alike. The DPT's are a great tool to put each student on the proper path to success when it comes time to take the CAHSEE. A greater allotment of time should be spent on areas with the greatest need for improvement.
This fall I had an ESL student that scored a 36% (29 out of 80) on the DPT 1 (Diagnostic Practice Test).
This was going to be the ultimate challenge with only five weeks to go before the CAHSEE. I gave him the workbook and showed him the areas he needed to work the hardest on.
| Algebra and Functions | Measurement | Geometry |
| 25 (27%) | 15 (31%) | 20 (24%) |
Starting with Chapter 5 Geometry, I had the student work on evens only to save some time. When finished, he took a Teacher Designed Test on Geometry in which his score was a 48%. When the other two strands were completed in the same fashion, it was time to take DPT 2. He received a 55% and this was the day before the CAHSEE. When we got the official results in it was pretty exciting to read- PASSED (56%)!"
-Gene Andrews, Measuring Up e-Path Customer, Gateway East Community Day School, Grossmont UHSD, CA
"The most valuable features of Measuring Up are the guided instruction, as well as the assessment practice in CST format. Students need to feel comfortable with the wording of question stems on the CST, and it's time-consuming for teachers to create CST-like questions on their own."
Some sites have chosen to weave the Measuring Up program into their daily "Power Hour" of direct, explicit language arts instruction in elementary classrooms. At these sites, teachers scaffold the Measuring Up instruction during their leveled reading intervention groups and find that it helps them to teach a standard in isolation. Often times our textbook units encompass too many skills at once. We have not received our test results yet, but teachers feel that Measuring Up gives students exposure to the academic language and testing vocabulary needed to master the California Content Standards and utilize when taking the CST. The Building Stamina sections at the end of each chapter are an excellent resource for a final "Power Push," or critical, final CST review period.
One middle school has elected to use the Diagnostic Practice Tests about 15 minutes/day as a standards-maintenance & review program. The teachers work through a portion of the questions with students to develop test-taking, but more importantly, THINKING strategies. They also use the assessment data to identify student deficits and then to provide remediation using textbooks and other classroom resources.
Many teachers, in looking ahead to next year, plan to use the Measuring Up books as they create their pacing guides."
-Charlene Stringham, Title I Resource/ Language Arts Academic Coach, Tulare City School District, California
"For the past 2 years, we have used the Measuring Up Exit Level worktexts with all our students in lower level mathematics courses. I use the worktexts in my classroom to re-teach and review material students are expected to know and to give them a comfort level with the types of test questions and concepts they will encounter on the state tests. For students who are behind, Measuring Up provides excellent sample problems to prepare them for the CST and the CAHSEE.
I also assign lessons as extra credit assignments over holiday breaks for students who need to catch up.
I feel Measuring Up has contributed to passing test scores in our school."
-Victoria Riojas, Algebra II/Geometry Teacher, Clovis West High, Clovis Unified School District, CA
"I thought the application of skills and information layout of the lessons was most helpful. It was also important that everything was already related to the standards. For the students that actively participated in the class, it is very likely that Measuring Up helped to improve their CAHSEE scores."
-Aimee Sones, CAHSEE Instructor, California High School, Whittier UHSD, CA
"I used Measuring Up e-Path and Measuring Up worktexts for targeted instruction after assessment for small groups and individuals. It was great to use the workbook, at least daily, and follow the lessons. I administered three formative assessments throughout the workshop and when I saw the students needed more practice in an important subject. It was extremely useful to have the students follow step-by-step instruction of the lessons. Also the activities correlated to what I taught, thus they grew confident learning the material step-by-step and then applying it to the problems. I also think it was great how the book correlated to state standards and I could target strands of the test. Students felt more prepared and the CAHSEE test was less frightening. Since the program, our test scores have increased by 20%."
-Vanessa Iniguez, CAHSEE consultant, California High School, Whittier UHSD, CA
"I feel my students were more confident after using Measuring Up for intervention. They seemed to understand the material better. The Measuring Up program made teaching and student understanding easier. The worktexts also have practice skills that show the students what type of answers to look for, and which state standards they must/should know."
-Nadine Zalunardo-Juarez, Teacher, Whittier Adult School/Sierra Vista, Whittier UHSD, CA
"We used Measuring Up for our intervention program. It gave our students hand-on practice and some feedback. When my students took the CAHSEE, I feel they had more confidence than when they began the class."
-Debra Nelson, Adult Education/Alternative Education Teacher, Whittier Adult School/Sierra Vista, Whittier UHSD, CA
"We use Measuring Up for intervention in our school and in the entire district. When my students took the CAHSEE, the ones who truly worked through the books remarked repeatedly about their increased confidence. The application activities along with the guided instruction provided practice for students in following steps to find consistent correct answers. Students were also able to make connections between their skills and the standards. The books' design made it easy to focus on particular strands students needed additional practice in."
-Abbie Bosserman, Teacher, Frontier High School, Whittier UHSD, CA
"After administering the [Diagnostic Practice Test] assessment we use the results to focus on weak areas. We also combine the results with our district results for students who have completed the CAHSEE. We selected Measuring UP because it is user friendly. We are a continuation and independent study high school and the classes must make sense to our students. It is sequential, aligned to the test and easy to work through. It also provides specific feedback to students as they work through it. We have found it to be a useful tool in supporting our students who are reluctant learners, and most of whom have already failed the test."
-Debbie Davis, Principal, Newport Mesa Unified District, CA
Florida
"I have used Measuring Up Math and Reading in small groups over an extended period of time as a tutorial. The kids loved the books and never could decide which they wanted to do first! We played lots of games with the lessons contained in the math books and used the "practice" questions as our bank to furnish a constant supply of problems. The kids loved that they could always go back to the initial lesson as a refresher. I found it a very easy book to use and one that required very little extra planning time from me. The lessons are pretty much laid out for you and basically because I can never leave anything alone; I just added some games and contests to the mix for some razzle dazzle. The kids loved discussing the strategies the book implemented to solve problems and these discussions helped me to understand just where the "faulty thinking" link was in the kids and together, we corrected it. Out scores went up! The kids actually found the test (FCAT) to be "easy" -- usually a Kiss of Death statement from kids but this time, it was happily true. We did not use the books this year and we are paying for it. Our scores have dropped considerably. I think that the "money" problem that caused us not to use the books this year will not be an issue for next year."
-Barbara Brunetti, Math Coach, Forest Park Elementary, Palm Beach, FL
"I liked using Measuring Up in my classroom for 2 reasons. First, Measuring Up offers questions more challenging than the FCAT so that when it came time for my students to take the test, they were ready and prepared to succeed. Second, using Measuring Up DPT Test 1, 2 and 3 showed student growth over time, so that I could easily construct and target my lesson plans."
-Maleika Lawson, 4th Grade Teacher, Bayview Elementary School, Jacksonville, FL
"Measuring Up was one of the contributing factors to improvement in student test scores on the FCAT. It targets skills that are needed to succeed. We use Measuring Up during our focus hour for whole group instruction and small tutorial groups that target the educational benchmarks. Our students, as well as our teachers, benefit from the format, delivery and the lessons."
-Sylvia Rappaport, Reading Coach, Liberty City Elementary School (Miami, FL)
"All our teachers were very happy with Measuring Up and our students did well with achievement!"
-Tanya Matthews, Principal, Edgar L. Padgett Elementary School, Polk County School District, Florida
"We use Measuring Up for reading and mathematics in grades 3, 4, and 5 as well as writing in the fourth grade. The teachers love it; each page has the Florida standard on the top, so it is clear what we are working on.
"Measuring Up was used weekly for remediation and reteaching as part of the reading and mathematics workshops, as well as in our after school and Saturday school programs."
-Shelly Bell, Assistant Principal, Leonard Wesson Elementary, FL
"[Measuring Up Worktexts and Measuring Up ePath] Incorporates assessments using differentiation. Laptop Lab - Students work with instructor 2-3 times per week on necessary features. Assessment is valuable, and the ability to differentiate is available."
-Clarice T. Davis, Reading Coach (3-5), Gove Elementary School, Palm Beach, FL
Georgia
"Measuring Up's format is very consistent with the CRCT and it helped the students in that regard ... the children felt well prepared."
-Lucille Sharper, Principal, Gresham Park Elementary School, DeKalb County School District, GA
"I supplement the regular text with the Measuring Up program. The students are able to become more familiar with the language and format of the CRCT. It also allows me the opportunity to help them dissect the questions and locate the answer."
-Kay Patton, Title I Specialist, North Harlem Elementary, Harlem, Georgia, Columbia County
Illinois
"We used Measuring Up with all of the class and used it as a target with Title I people. We are top in the state for low social economic students Just for kids website."
-Ellin Lotspeich, Kewanee School District #229, Irving School Kewanee, IL
New Jersey
"The 3 PASK tests give all of our students a boost by making them familiar with the test format and it helps build their confidence. We analyze the PASK results and discuss them at grade-level curriculum meetings. These discussions help us make instructional decisions based on the gaps in student knowledge."
-Victor R. Milano, Math/Science Supervisor, K-6 - Township of Ocean School District
"We use Measuring Up as the main instruction for our after school program geared towards students who scored Partially Proficient on the NJ ASK. We started using the program by only focusing on the weak areas, and then realized our students could use the instruction in ALL the lessons since it matches the NJ standards so closely." When myself and the Reading Specialist first introduced the Measuring Up books and PASK tests to our teachers, they were concerned that the material was too difficult for third and fourth graders. After the state test, the teachers believed that implementing Measuring Up positively raised the bar for our students. Our students were comfortable and confident in taking the test. The format and layout of your program is in line with what students will see on the NJ ASK. It really helped build our students' confidence and test scores are gradually increasing each year we use the program. Thank you Measuring Up!"
-Sheila Hajdu, K-4 Math Specialist, Edward J Patten Elementary, Perth Amboy, NJ
"The Measuring Up PASK tests have helped our district to gradually improve our scores on the NJ ASK. Our teachers administer Test 1 in September at which time they provide support for the students as they answer the questions. Test 2 is given in late December with limited teacher support. In late February, teachers give Test 3 as a total dress rehearsal to simulate an authentic testing environment. Year-round, teachers use the test results diagnostically to drive their daily instruction. They refer to any classroom resources they have and remediate where appropriate.
By practicing 3 times/year, students are familiar with the test once March (state testing time) arrives. We believe our scores will continue to improve as students gain more test-taking confidence through use of the Measuring Up PASK tests.
We also use the Measuring Up books for our second graders. Teachers feel the Building Stamina sections at the end of each lesson really help students get ready for third grade expectations — it gives them a frame of reference."
-Eleanor Hughes, K-6 Language Arts Coordinator, NJ
"The Measuring Up PASK Tests prepared our third grade students for how to look at the state tests. In September, the teachers in our school work through Test 1 with the students as a teaching tool. It familiarizes our students with the test structure and layout and helps them learn how to attack each type of test task. We give Test 2 in late December and teachers help the students as little as possible. In late February, Test 3 is administered as a total dress rehearsal to simulate a real testing environment. Once testing time came, my students said 'No sweat, Mrs. Nelius, we know what to do.' It helps give them a comfort level that they can do it."
-Cara Nelius, Third Grade Teacher, Ocean Township Elementary, NJ
"Measuring Up is part of Parkside's blue print to success. It is user-friendly for teachers and students. After administering the Measuring Up Diagnostic Practice Test as a pretest, we use the Personal Prescriptive Path reports by class to drive instruction. Individualized student intervention plans are created and students receive instruction for the skills they need to master in small groups. We use the Measuring Up data on our classroom clipboards that always have up-to-date student progress data for anyone to review. After we teach a group of Measuring Up lessons, we administer a formative assessment to check student progress and modify our intervention plans.
Measuring Up customer care support has been excellent."
-Theresa Shields, K-5 Math Coach
"Most teachers in our school use Measuring Up on a daily basis because everything you need is included, in the way that New Jersey lays it out. Students clearly understand the instruction and it is presented in a non-threatening way. It makes students comfortable once testing day comes. And they love Measureman!
Teachers also enjoy using the program. Measuring Up does a great job of teaching a standard and a strategy at the same time. Teachers model the lesson, along with the step-by-step instruction on how to solve specific problems. If the student has difficulty understanding the teacher's model, they can refer to the stepped-out instruction in the book. What more could you ask for?
The program definitely has an impact on children's scores. Our third and fourth graders have met their AYP and have shown an increase in standardized test scores."
-Linda Gross, Math Specialist, Wilson Avenue Elementary School, Newark, NJ
"Just a note to congratulate you on the publication of your "Measuring Up" Series. Your format, moving from an open-ended question, through guided practice and then an application activity provides teachers with the structure that would support their work in addressing learning objectives within and/or independent of the assessment program."
-Bernard P. Kaminsky, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Hackensack Public Schools
"Since using the Measuring Up program better diagnosis has taken place allowing teachers to differentiate their instruction and better serve the needs and ability levels of the students."
-Barbara Noll, Supervisor of Mathematics, GEHRHSD, NJ
"The Measuring Up [worktext] lessons are separated into 2 parts, most lessons are taught and used in the classroom, then certain sections are designated for review in after school prep program. The step-by- step instruction was a great review format for students who may not have understood it first time around. We found that the test practice pages were very beneficial to the students who stayed for the after school program. It was a great reinforcement of what they learned that day. We have many ESL and Bilingual students that benefited greatly from the format of your programs. The step-by-step instructions and practice were clear and easy to understand."
-Mr. Edward Gordon, Smalley School, Bound Brook, NJ
"We use Measuring Up as practice for GEPA and HSPA and NJ ASK 3. Measuring Up has increased student success on state standardized tests and has increased student confidence because they report that the practices are more difficult than the tests themselves! Good work to your writers."
-Dr. Leslie Meskin, Curriculum Supervisor, Hopatcong Borough Schools, NJ
"My entire department uses the Measuring Up worktexts and assessments as part of unit lessons either as Do Now activity, group discussion, or homework. All 18 teachers in my Science Department use the program to help reinforce or introduce topics relating to the NJCCC Standards in Science. We use the program as Do Nows, for group discussion, class activity, and homework. We hope that exposure to the types of open-ended questions will help our students do well on the first HSPA with science in 2007. We feel that the workbooks have put us on the path to success."
-Jane Weiss, Science Supervisor, Howell HS Freehold Regional High School, NJ
"In our school, the Peoples program [Measuring Up worktexts] has benefited our students by providing them with assessment practice in state format. The guided instruction allows the student to see how the problems should be approached -thus giving them some helpful test-taking strategies. More importantly, though, is the program's correlation to state standards. I felt that the Peoples program did a great job with addressing these standards."
-Yolanda Greene, Mathematics Coach, Forest Street Elementary School Orange, NJ
"In September, teachers are instructed to administer the PASK I, offering full assistance to students as needed. Teachers are then required to score the test for diagnostic purposes, using the information to help drive instruction. In mid-December, the second PASK is administered. Teachers are asked to offer less assistance, allowing the students to gain a higher level of comfort with test-taking. Again, the PASK II is scored to help guide instruction. The PASK III is administered in late February with no teacher assistance--the "dress rehearsal" so to speak. I feel that the best feature of the Measuring Up program is the PASK component. Administered three times a year in third, fourth, and fifth grades, it has helped students become familiar with the format of the state assessments. It gives students an idea of what extended reading and writing time really means. In Grade 2, we especially like the "Building Stamina" segment of the Measuring Up book. It prepares students for the rigorous demands of extended reading in third grade as third graders prepare for the state test. We found the Measuring Up book to be an excellent text for the summer school sessions we have in place for at-risk readers. Improvement has been noted amongst the population that attends the summer sessions, so we will continue to use the text for instructional purposes in that program."
-Eleanor A. Hughes, Supervisor of Language Arts Literacy and Social Studies, K-6, and Enrichment and Libraries, K-8 Township of Ocean Intermediate School Township of Ocean School District Ocean, New Jersey
"We teach all the lessons in the worktext; but vary the group structure. Sometimes students work independently, in pairs, and in small groups. Grouping can be random and targeted to specific strengths/weaknesses. We basically assess on a daily basis by observing and checking progress. In our school, we believe the Measuring Up workbooks have helped our students tremendously. Since they are an integral part of daily/weekly math and language arts instruction, our students become very familiar with the format and content of typical state test questions. It relieves some anxiety about "what will the test be like" as well as helps to prepare them with all necessary skills to be successful. The math workbooks are an excellent follow-up to our math textbook program, and serve to review skills from September through March. In using the Language Arts workbooks, we found that the students were also well prepared for the length and duration of test material, and practiced essential literacy skills."
-Elaine Makarevich, 3rd Grade Teacher, Stillwater Township Elementary School, NJ
"Measuring Up targets instruction after assessments for the entire class or for specific groups of students.Measuring Up Diagnostic Tests allows for immediate feedback and the means to modify our instruction where applicable."
-George Droste, Mathematics Supervisor K-12, Belleville School District, NJ
"Measuring Up e-Path is easy-to-use and user friendly. The tech support was great & combined with our training handbook most issues that arose were taken care of quickly. Technical issues that required follow-up were attended to promptly. We found nothing to improve upon and our school has only had good experiences with ePath."
-Lynne Price-Jones, Coach, Catto Elementary School, Camden, NJ
New York
"We at Highgate Heights Elementary School have recently been recognized by the New York State Commissioner of Education for being the most improved school in the state, based upon our students' performance on the state assessments in 4th Grade English Language Arts and 8th Grade Math.
This accomplishment is due to the commitment, hard work, and achievements of our principal, Will Keresztes, as well as our teachers, staff, students, and parents with focus on an improved and innovative educational program. One important factor in our plan is the use of materials that provide test practice. Our teachers agree that the use of the series "Measuring Up" for the NYS ELA and NYS Math Tests has promoted success for their students.
Teachers' comments are:
- "This series is kid-friendly. It provides simple examples that are clear and easy for kids to understand."
- "Measuring Up" is very well done. It is divided into sections on a topic and covers each topic thoroughly."
- "Use of "Measuring Up" at the 7th Grade level provides a good preparation for the 8th Grade Test."
- "When our students use "Measuring Up," improvement is obvious in spite of the many obstacles to learning that our children face."
- "Use of these materials is certainly a permanent part of our instructional plan."
-Linda Crato, Program Coordinator, Highgate Heights Elementary School, NY
"The Measuring to the New York State Standards Math and Language Arts review workbooks were a great help to us in the Elmira Heights Central School District this year. Faced with the demands of preparing our 6th grade students for the New York State Tests, the task of searching for printed material in the format of the NYS test questions left us in a quandary. It was after examining the Measuring worktexts that we found what we were looking for. Measuring Up Diagnostic Practice Tests were a "mimic" to the actual format of the NY State Test in which it drastically helped our students to learn the vocabulary and become familiar with the format. The students were able to familiarize themselves with the test before they even took it, which made them feel more comfortable, and in return they felt they were able to do a lot better. I would recommend Measuring Up to any school."
-Terry L. Allison, Sixth Grade Math Teacher, Cohen Middle School, Elmira Heights Central School District, NY
"Our school is currently using Measuring Up® worktexts and Diagnostic Practice Tests for grade 4 English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science instruction and New York State Test preparation. We have been using the program for about four years now and the teachers really like it.
Typically in our school, we pre-test the students with a DPT and from there the teachers identify the problem areas and address them with their students, using Measuring Up® worktexts to extend and supplement skills where the basal program falls short. At the beginning of the school year, we use Measuring Up® for balanced instruction, covering all the content areas. As the tests approach, we focus in on the areas of the test using Measuring Up® during our before and after school programs and Saturday school.
What we like most about Measuring Up® is that it can be used with the entire class or for small group instruction. We group students by the skills they are struggling with. Measuring Up® allows the teachers the flexibility to focus in on different skills with different students. Measuring Up® is not overwhelming, yet there is enough information to keep the children interested since it is student friendly, and includes instruction and independent practice. The Diagnostic Practice Tests provide the cumulative practice that the students need before they take the New York State Test.
All of these elements of the Measuring Up® series have absolutely helped us to increase our test scores!"
-Margaret Masi, Reading Specialist/Title I, PS 17, Yonkers Public Schools
"I teach all of the lessons in Measuring Up [worktext] and assess as I go along. If there are areas of weakness seen in the assessment, then we go back and target those areas. We had a 97% pass rate last year...this year it is 100% for the NYS Science 8 State test. I am not saying that it is all of the Measuring Up book that did this, but it sure had quite a bit to do with it along with the teachers that they have had in the past. My students have consistently stated that if it were not for this book, they do not feel as if they would have done as well on the test."
-Erin Cook, Hammondsport Central School, NY
"We found the program beneficial because of its close correlation to the state standards and the correlation to the state tests for reading, math and science. It is used in our after school programs as well as a supplement for classroom instruction. Our scores have increased considerably and we do believe that the program had a great deal to do with the improvement. Our staff have additionally met with parents and have conducted workshops on how to use the activities at home to further support their children's education."
-Anna Efkarpides, Principal, P.S. 11 Q/ District 30, New York
Ohio
"One year ago, my colleagues and I sat to plan the 03-04 school year, knowing that we would have to be giving the Ohio Third Grade Reading Achievement Test for the first time. We were quite distraught about how to ensure this exceptionally low group of third graders would pass. My fellow teacher had saved some information she received from Measuring Up and sold us on the idea. We especially loved that the practice tests were formatted like the state test.
We muddled our way through the practice book and used all of the practice tests after we gave the October test. Our goal was to improve the October 42% passage rate. Our children loved the practice book, which we used in addition to our normal reading curriculum. Well, lo and behold the March testing date came quickly and we knew our children were ready. What was the real shocker was our passage rate. We in fact doubled to 84%!!! We were all so pleased and credit Measuring Up with much of that success. Our children did not panic when the big test day came, because they were so familiar with the test format.
What was really surprising, one night at my parents' house I was bragging about our results and my sister who teaches 6th grade Math was there. She said how did you guys do that? I told her about Measuring Up. She was dumbfounded. The entire school year, she was in fact using Measuring Up in her classroom also. Her combined classes were at the 75% or better rate. Our other sister's ears perked up and wanted to know about Measuring Up. She is a principal in another district. She went to school the next day and ordered the books for her teachers.
Thanks for a great product and we look forward to using both the Reading and Math this year."
-Joanie Jones, Third Grade Teacher, Watson Elementary, Austintown, OH
"My students were very prepared for the grade three Ohio Achievement test thanks to the Measuring Up worktexts. Our scores increased significantly from the October test. It is just so user friendly- we love it."
-Susan Subler, Teacher, High Street Primary, Piqua City Schools, OH
"I am using the Measuring Up series as a preparation for the Ohio Proficiencies. I read over many of the stories with the students and completed the activities together. The students would then take the Independent Practice Tests and I would use this as an assessment.
The students have benefited by being able to learn what is expected of them when they answer questions for the proficiencies. I have benefited through being able to assess the students' abilities and see what areas need to be concentrated on."
-Cathy Loncar, 6th Grade Reading Teacher, Willowick Middle School, Willoughby-Eastlake School District, OH
"I teach all the Measuring Up lessons and do assessments as we go through the lessons. I really like the fact that the Measuring Up program correlates to the state standards. I love the step-by-step approach to learning the skills especially for my at risk students."
-Fran Rust, Reading Specialist, Mariemont City Schools, OH
"I am very pleased with the test results we received. I don't believe our scores would have gone up without Measuring Up to the Ohio Academic Content Standards workbook."
-Barbara Dwyer, Westwood Elementary, Wellington, OH
"I use MU as whole group instruction. I go over the lesson together with the class and write answers on the board. Then the students do the practice part independently for a grade, usually. MU is great to use to sharpen test concepts/skills. It gives excellent practice like what they would see on the test. I think MU is actually harder than the test, which I think makes it an even better teaching tool!"
-Julie Rheinscheld, 4th grade teacher, Lincoln Elementary, Bucyrus City Schools, Bucyrus, Ohio
"I use the PAACS assessment to determine specific weaknesses in individuals and as a group to set my curriculum around. Then I use the Measuring Up worktext along with other supplemental material to guide my instruction. I think the direct correlation to the state standards was one of the most beneficial aspects of the program. I was able to target specific weaknesses in my students, which was the goal of the class that we used the program in. It allowed me to give student-oriented instruction. The assessment practice in the state format was also beneficial. Particularly the short and extended response questions since that was where many of the students had struggled on the Ohio Graduation Test."
-Walt Lininger, Math Teacher, Geneva High School, Geneva Area City Schools, OH
Pennsylvania
"I am writing to express my pleasure with the Measuring Up of the PSSA materials for both math and reading. High Stakes testing has become a reality that must be proactively addressed. Your resources proved to be a major component of our testing plan that resulted in significant gain in both academic areas.
Our fifth grade students scored 1360 on the math portion of the 2001 PSSA, an increase of 110 from the previous year and 50 points above the state average of 1310. The students also demonstrated improvement in reading as well. Their hard work and preparation resulted in a reading score of 1390 with the state average of 1300. The reading score is an increase of 80 points from the previous year.
Students cannot score well unless they understand not only the content, but the format as well. You products present specific lessons that target not only the Pennsylvania Standards, but assist the teachers in preparing the students for the specific and unique testing format of the PSSA."
-Barry A Bowe, Principal, Mountaintop Area Elementary School, Snow Shoe, PA
"Your material was one of the first of its type available to teachers as the state embarked on its emphasis on evaluation. Even though there has been a growth of such resources, yours continues to make a significant contribution as evidenced by the letter from the principal of Mountaintop Area Elementary School."
-William F. Marburger, Mathematics Advisor, Department of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
"These books were a wonderful resource to help teachers better deliver the curriculum.
Measuring Up is a resource that targets the Pennsylvania Standards and helps students acquire a deep understanding of theses benchmarks. During the school year, students work with the math edition of "Measuring Up" each morning during a morning edit period. The Language Arts Edition is integrated and used throughout our language arts block of instruction.
Prior to using the series, our scores were 1360 in Math and 1380 in Reading. In the 2000-01 school year, our PSSA scores reflected a 170 point combined gain in math and reading. At a total score of 1460 in math and 1450 in reading, our school was the highest in our county."
-Susan Kegerise, Principal, Paxtonia Elementary School, Central Dauphin School District, Harrisburg, PA
"I am writing to share our satisfaction and success with the "Measuring Up" on the PSSA materials for both math and reading. Our teachers of Grades 3 and 5 were more than pleased with the materials that helped in the subject areas of math and reading. We honestly feel that these materials contributed to the success of our PSSA scores in 2002.
In 2001-2002, these resources have helped to revise our test scores to 1470 in math which is 150 points above the state average and 1400 in reading which is 80 points above the state average. These scores brought a total amount of $30,700.00 to our school.
Next year we plan to order additional materials for both 3rd and 5th grades in reading and math.
The excellent teachers, along with Peoples Publishing Group materials, have brought success to our test preparation in PSSA reading and math.
We look forward to another successful year in the education of our students."
-William J. Raho, Principal, George C. Marshall Elementary School, PA
"Measuring Up helps our students measure up to the demands of "No Child Left Behind." After using the reading and mathematics workbooks, 100% of the students at Howard Elementary School achieved proficiency in mathematics and 92% reached proficiency in reading. With the additional resources from Peoples Publishing, students in each of our four elementary schools increased student achievement on the PSSA.
Of the thirty-five elementary schools in Centre County, our rural low SES schools hold the top three spots in the percentage of students who are proficient at Grade 5 in mathematics. We also hold the #1 and #3 spot in reading. Students from poor families can and do achieve in the Bald Eagle Area School District. We are experiencing 100 point increases on the Grade 5 PSSA in both reading and mathematics. Measuring Up is a major component of our successful comprehensive assessment plan.
Students cannot score well unless they understand not only the content, but the format as well. Measuring Up presents specific lessons that target both the Pennsylvania Standards and the format of the PSSA. Our skillful teachers, using your products, make certain that "No Child is Left Behind."
-Barry A. Bowe, Director of Elementary Education, Howard Elementary School, Bald Eagle, Area School District, PA
"We use the tests to identify areas of need. Before we began using the Peoples program our school was identified for school improvement. After making curriculum changes that included the use of the Peoples program, our PSSA scores have improved and we have exited School Improvement."
-Donora Elementary Center, Ringgold School District, PA
"Measuring Up helped teachers prepare our students for the state test."
-Dr. Dianne Scott, Principal, J. H. Taggart School, School District of Philadelphia, PA
"Most lessons are taught whole group starting at the beginning of the text. We utilize the worktext assessments as we teach the lessons, sometimes utilizing supplemental materials. The open-ended responses are assessed using the state rubric. Multiple choice assessments are assessed utilizing a point value. Measuring Up Math has allowed our students to practice PSSA-like questions in all of the standards, preparing them for the upcoming state tests. The additional open-ended questions have assisted the students in preparing them for the performance assessment part of the PSSA tests enabling them to feel ready and confident."
-Mrs. Linda Helfrich, 5th grade teacher, Harry S. Truman Elementary, Salisbury Township School District, PA
"I supplement my daily instruction with lessons from Measuring Up, whenever possible. In addition, I sometimes teach lessons directly from Measuring Up. After each lesson, I use the practice questions at the end of each lesson as a mini-assessment. I also utilize the chapter reviews and incorporate those as a summative assessment in my grade book. I just received the Measuring Up series in the second marking period of this past school year. I liked how the standards and anchors are delineated, so the students and I are both aware of what's being covered and how it meets our needs. From the get-go, I love the setup of Measuring Up - with a lesson page, guided practice, and finally, the independent practice questions. This made the students a lot more comfortable with taking PSSAs. In fact, Measuring Up was so challenging for them that the students commented that the PSSA test seemed "easy." Let's hope so. I guess we'll be finding out in a few months!"
-Sherry Ulrich, Montgomery Area School District, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher, PA
Texas
"We really like the Measuring Up materials. Our initial TAKS scores show 95% in Reading and 94% in Math. We also were 96% in Science and 97% in Writing. We believe the measuring materials were a major factor in our good reading and math scores."
-Rick Sandlin, Principal,Wake Village Elementary,Texarkana, Texas ISD
"Measuring Up is easy to implement. There is a tutorial before each lesson and it is good for homework. It is well worth it and the lessons correlate to the Texas assessment."
-Greg Green, Mathematics Department ChairPerson, Pearce Middle School, Austin ISD, TX
"We supplement our curriculum with the Measuring Up lessons that match what we are teaching each day. We are thrilled to have a program that we can use vertically across grade levels that are in the TAKS format. In second grade this helps our students learn the format of the test and decreases test anxiety. In 3rd-6th grades, it is good practice for students before the test. I also like that it is correlated with Everyday Math that we adopted this year. I know this program has played a big part in the increase in our scores. We had the highest test scores in our district in both third and fifth grade math this year."
-Cheri Braden, Principal, Glenmore Elementary San Angelo, TX
"The 11th grade English/Language Arts teacher chose to use this to complement his instruction and to key in on specific TAKS objectives. It has been a tremendous help to him and his students. So much so, that the 10th grade English Language Arts teacher will begin using it next year. Our math scores have suffered since the TAKS administration and the 9th grade Algebra I teacher will also be using the Measuring Up books."
-Rose Mary Mares, Principal, Lytle High School, TX
"We use the materials for remediation after benchmark testing. The correlation to the TEKS and the high quality of the assessment questions have been extremely beneficial to teachers and to tutors as they work with small groups of students."
-Joyce Collett, Mathematics Coordinator 6-12, Clear Creek ISD, TX
"I was given the privilege of tutoring four wonderful 6th grade girls who failed the TAKS test in the 5th grade. I found the correlation to the Texas state standards to be the feature that separated Measuring Up for the many other resources on the market. This gave me the opportunity to use my time wisely and work on only the elements that each student needed help with. I used several assessments for an individual profile for each student: previous TAKS test, practice current year TAKS tests, and district-wide benchmarks. All of the assessments have corresponding TEKS. This worked beautifully. All four of the students passed! For some objectives, we only used the assessment practice in the TAKS format. For objectives that the students found more difficult, we used the step-by-step instruction in the lessons and used the assessments. I worked with 4 students who had failed the TAKS test the previous year. When I got the call from the school saying that all my girls passed the TAKS test this year, it brought me to tears. Thanks Measuring Up!"
-Tesa Golden, Math Tutor, Hexter Elementary School, Dallas Independent School District, TX
"I use Measuring Up as a baseline assessment to indicate success on the actual test. The tests particularly helped. They are very aligned with the actual test."
-Jasmin Jones, Third Grade Teacher, City Park Elementary Dallas ISD, TX
"I use the assessments along the way. I teach each objective then use the assessments as a measuring stick. I have found that the guided practice is very beneficial and extremely detailed. The assessments have challenging, thought provoking questions. Both of these seem to push the students learning."
-Chuck Wells, Math Teacher, Keller High School, TX
"We group instruction by the Measuring Up TEKs in 3 week segments and then remediate those who don't master during the next 3 weeks. TEK focused instruction has filled the gaps between the older textbooks and the current state test. Format is good with application problems that are not multiple choice which requires thinking instead of guessing. Good level of challenge in the Building Stamina section."
-Brenda Jackson, Math Chair, R. C. Fisher/Athens ISD, TX
"We try to hit as many lessons as possible. Sometimes repeated lessons are necessary for some learners. This is used entirely as a class. Our teachers have had such success with your materials because of the step-by-step instruction that is available for teachers to use. It is very helpful for parents to review with their children as well."
-Jennifer Quintana, Instructional Specialist, SISD-Bilingual Department, TX
"I teach the entire lesson, and then I go back and address weakness looking at the questions most missed by students. I used the lessons and the Building Stamina worksheets weekly as a supplement to Everyday Math lessons. I also use Measuring Up for homework to address weaknesses that are evident. Struggling students who did not pass the 5th grade TAKS Math last year passed this year with one-third of the students passing. I do consider this a success story. As these students learn to think critically and become better readers, their math skills and analytical stills will improve."
-Robbie M. Griffin, B.A. 6th Grade, ESL L. K. Hall Elementary School, Dallas ISD, TX
"I use the Measuring Up worktext throughout the year as an integration to thematic units or supplement the text as needed by objectives. Thus, the assessment within the worktext are used after specific covered objectives. I truly have enjoyed integrating the fiction and nonfiction texts found with in the workbooks. It truly has been a great resource in the class. The texts allow for flexibility and creativity. The students have truly enjoyed using the stories and we have integrated many graphic organizers as we read and work through the stories."
-Christina Hernandez-Castruita, Third Grade Bilingual Teacher, Goodman Elementary- Arlington, TX
"I would teach the lesson and use the small tests for assessments. I used the larger assessments as a practice for TAKS testing. It helped my students get in to the right frame of mind. They were more prepared and knew what to expect on the test by doing that way."
-Tobie Nottingham, 5th grade teacher, TX
"Personally, I teach 8th grade math and use the Measure Up worktexts for our main text for scope and sequence and the problem-solving for the first time this year. When I found this I came back to my school and encouraged all grade levels and so my school is currently using this at all 5th through 8th at the middle school. Also, Spanish and Reading teachers on our campus are currently using the workbooks. I use this as scope and sequence and supplement with lots of other materials and then use for Benchmark Testing. I use for initial instruction and guidelines plus vocabulary and then supplement with anything I can to enhance the TEKS from all perspectives. We do the guided practice and sometimes this is done in parts. Then I use the TEKS practice and Building Stamina for testing or additional work."
-Stacey Stanley, Teacher, Winnsboro ISD, Memorial Middle School, TX
"The math dept. uses the program to teach the lessons. We love the way it is set up--Apply the TEKS then apply the TAKS. At the end of each unit, we do an assessment. The math dept. loves everything about the program. We know our TAKS scores went up in the 7th & 8th grade because we used the Peoples program Measuring Up."
-Pam Scheu, lead math teacher, Daingerfield Jr. High, Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD, TX
"We use it in conjunction with the instructional lessons. Because Measuring Up seems to be a little harder than most TAKS practice test, it has allowed our children to comprehend and understand how to set up a problem to solve it."
-Pamela Jackson, Teacher, Texas
"Many have made the comment of how hard the workbooks are, but they bring the students to a higher level of learning and thinking on their own. We use it in class and continue in tutorials. Students do well on their grades on the workbook but do excellent on TAKS. We had 97% pass Math and 97% on Reading."
-Kim Baucom, 5th grade teacher, San Angelo I S D, TX
"Our summer school teachers have just started using the Peoples program beginning June 2, however, the planning process has been in place for the past month. The summer school staff is excited about using a program that appears to be geared to the needs of at-risk students."
-Dr. Sandi Froese, Consultant for Government Programs and Assessment, Sherman Independent School District, Sherman, Texas
"Since using the Measuring Up! Science program we have increased our scores by twenty percent."
-Nicole Clint, Instructional Facilitator, Brownsville ISD, TX
"Our teachers use Measuring Up e-Path to identify instructional needs for students. We do not have the student worktexts for reading or math but since the assessment shows the standards information, the teachers use this information to plan instruction. We do have the worktexts for Science. In fact, our school was in the top 3 in the district for science scores. This is an improvement from last year.
The science teachers use Measuring Up e-Path more than the others and they think that it is and easy program to use. The content has proven to be just what the students need to improve their knowledge and skills in this difficult area."
-Rhoda Mohr, Peer Facilitator, Williams Elementary, Pasadena ISD, Pasadena, Texas
"Measuring Up e-Path is easy to use even for those who are not computer savvy. It was easy to set up the testing assignments. We think the content is really good and can see how this will better prepare our students for TAKS. Our school wide implementation works this way:
We administer a benchmark for a six-week period.
Then we analyze the results and based on that information we plan our 6-week calendar of lessons specific for the selected TEKS objectives.
We look at the Differentiated Learning Groups report to make decisions about intervention and provide 1:1 help for those most at risk.
For the daily classroom implementation, teachers create a 5-question assessment each week for the objectives they are targeting. They analyze the information in the reports and make teaching decisions based on the information. Already they are seeing as much as a 30% improvement in mastery. The teachers comment that students are learning more with this implementation.
As an administrator, I like the School Prescriptive Path Report to monitor progress."
-Kristina Clark, Math/Science Specialist, Borman Elementary, Denton ISD, Denton, Texas
"Measuring Up e-Path is very easy to use. It is so intuitive that you know where to go just by paying attention to the blue highlighted text. You can quickly diagnose needs "to the last dot" and then decide on groupings for intervention. Unlike some other programs this is a time saver not a time consuming. It tells me what I need to know immediately.
The content meets all criteria of the Texas Standards and although we don't use these tests anymore, it matches the Stanford 9 and the ITBS learning expectations.
After giving the "big" test we assigned short practice tests to give the students a chance to master the objectives. Then we assign the short test in diagnostic mode to see how they are progressing. We are watching scores continuing to improve and mastery time is quicker since we are targeting what they really need help with. We are able to identify very quickly which students are mastering at a rapid rate, which students are maintaining the learning, and which groups we have to re teach. I wish we would have had this program earlier it has made such a difference. "And, it is so easy, that even for the average teacher, scared of technology, it is a cakewalk". But, what I like most is the immediate feedback for students and teachers. This is what makes the difference and this is why we are seeing improvement. Oh, and the students stay so engaged. They really like it."
-Mapplelean Calico, Teacher, Staff Development Trainer for Math on Campus, Dorsey Elementary, Dallas ISD, Dallas, TX
"We administer benchmark assessments and that data drives how the lessons are used to target specific weaknesses. The materials [Measuring Up worktexts, Count On It!, and Word Explorer] provided the teachers with resources that they could count on being TAKS aligned to supplement their instruction."
-Debbie Crick, Principal, Howell Middle School Victoria, Texas, Victoria Independent School District
Virginia
"Dear Measuring Up,
My name is Melinda Hodges and I am a third grade teacher at Douglass Park Elementary School. I want to express my views on the Measuring Up to the Virginia Standards of Learning books.
First, as a classroom teacher these books are my right hand books; so many times I've had to go from book to book looking and searching for extended lessons but not no more. When I'm teaching reading, writing, and of course math; these books are right beside my children and me at all times!
Second, the books are very precise. The information is 100% in line with our Virginia Standards of Learning making it easy for our children and even myself to follow. The table of contents and correlation chart in the beginning of the book outline each standard and lesson!
Third, the books are teacher and student friendly. As a teacher from the state of Virginia these books are a tremendous wealth of help for my children to be successful in passing the third grade Virginia SOL(s) with full accreditation. I can see how this book raised test scores across the state in the fifth and eighth grade.
Thanks so much for turning my students and me onto Measuring Up. All the other teachers and administrators in this school and in other districts feel exactly the same as I do from what I've heard. In the future, I would like to see overhead transparencies and books in Social Studies and Science.
Thank you again; Measuring Up has been a true blessing.
Sincerely,
Melinda Hodges"
-Melinda Hodges Third Grade Teacher, Douglass Park Elementary School Portsmouth Public Schools, Portsmouth, Virginia
"We use Measuring Up for grades 3 through 6 in reading and math. It is easy to use with the children; we like the format which is similar to the state assessment."
-Evelyn Whitley, Principal, James Hurst Elementary School, Portsmouth Public School District, VA
"Measuring Up's correlation to the state standards has been most beneficial."
-Gwendolyn Watkins, Principal, Park View Elementary/Portsmouth, VA
"I use the Measuring Up program to review things already taught during the year. It gives me a good indication of what concepts need to be reviewed in more detail. I love that it is sequentially taught and is directly correlated to the state standards. I also love that most of the questions are in the same format as the standardized test. This is the only "coach" book that I use!! The copies I have are not the most recent edition, but I still love the way that the process is explained, and the questions are in the testing format with the SOL numbers written at the top. My students feel successful when they finish the review and know how to answer the questions correctly! I think that adapting to each state's standards makes it a #1` pick!"
-Renee Parker, Grade 3 Teacher, Wise Primary School, Wise County, VA
"We use the assessment portion of the program, after teaching an SOL. We also use it as a daily review. We enjoy using it because it is closely aligned to the SOL Test. I highly recommend this program to any school/school district! The assessment practice, skill practice, step-by-step instruction is very helpful to our students and teachers, in preparing for the Virginia SOL Test. The materials are teacher friendly, because the chapters and lesson are outlined by each SOL. Teachers love it! They do not have to search for anything, because everything is spelled out for them. The wording of the tests are in a SOL format, which is extremely important."
-Nicole Booker, Instructional Specialist for Reading/English, Portsmouth Public School System, VA
"Measuring Up follows the benchmark tests or other assessments, and the concepts are matched to students' needs."
-Beverley B. Fifer, Principal, Washington County Schools, VA
"We target instruction after assessments for individuals as well as the entire class. Our math scores went from 76% to 90% after the first year of using Measuring Up, so the correlation to state standards has been a huge benefit."
-Eric Neff, Principal, Manassas Park Elementary School, VA
"The Measuring Up Mathematics program for third grade has been a valuable tool in my classroom instruction. I use the k-2 components to reinforce information the students have learned. I use the 3rd grade practice information to reinforce material that I have taught and the testing program to assess mastery. The Measuring Up Mathematics 3rd grade Virginia Standards book clearly matches our curriculum framework. Everything I need is right there!"
-Melanie Jenkins, 3rd grade Math Teacher/Math Coach, Bethel Elementary School, Gloucester, VA
"The Measuring Up books step by step instruction and the correlation to our Standards of Learning is a plus. The teacher does not have to guess at how the skill should be best introduced, it is there for her/him."
-Patricia Crocker, Instructional Specialist, Petersburg Public Schools, VA
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