FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Anna O’Sullivan
annao@zearn.org
BATON ROUGE, La., June 21, 2023 – A recent study shows that Louisiana elementary- and middle-school students who consistently utilized Zearn, the top-rated math learning platform, scored significantly higher on state math tests. This was consistent across five student groups including: Black and/or Latino students, economically disadvantaged students, multilingual learners, students in special education and chronically absent students.
“Louisiana teachers know the critical importance of math and are unwavering in their dedication to student learning,” said Louisiana Deputy Superintendent of Education Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “The results of this study show that when provided with high-quality tools, like Zearn Math, and ongoing professional development, teachers can ensure that all students can catch up and move forward in math.
Researchers looked at how more than 14,000 Louisiana students scored on the Louisiana Assessment of Educational Progress (LEAP) 2025 math test. The study employed a quasi-experimental matching technique, comparing students who completed three Zearn Math digital lessons per week with a similar group of students who did not use Zearn, enabling researchers to isolate the impact of Zearn Math on student performance.
The findings highlight that students who consistently used Zearn Math – three or more grade-level lessons per week – outperformed their matched peers who did not use the platform. Low-scoring students showed the greatest improvement. In fact, 70% of the lowest-scoring students improved their achievement level on the LEAP 2025 math test and gained 1.5 to 2.0 years of learning within a single school year, helping them catch up and meet state math standards.
Moreover, math proficiency rates increased by 5 percentage points for students who consistently used Zearn Math, while those who did not use the platform experienced a decline of 2.4 percentage points. This positive result was also evident among specific student groups, including Black and/or Latino students, economically disadvantaged students, students in special education and chronically absent students.
“Zearn Math has been integral to our school district's success. The digital lessons provide real-time support for students, while the progress reports help our teachers to make adjustments in small groups to meet the needs of each student,” said K-5 Math Coach Amie Starks of the Central Community School System. “Ultimately, Zearn allows us to take a constant pulse of our students’ work before state assessments. Thus, we are seeing tremendous gains with mastery of our standards.”
Rated a high-quality math curricular resource by Louisiana educators, 59 parishes across the state utilize Zearn. This research is designed to meet the rigorous standards set by the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) and qualify as an Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) evidence-based intervention.
“This new research exhibits the tremendous effect Louisiana teachers are having on student math learning,” Zearn CEO and Co-Founder Shalinee Sharma said. “It also emphasizes the importance of strong Zearn implementation- students completing three or more grade-level lessons per week-in achieving transformative results.”
In 2022, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) also announced the launch of the new, statewide “Math Refresh,” which provides educators with high-quality instructional materials and professional development to enhance the impact of extra learning time, such as tutoring, in math for all K-8 students.
ABOUT ZEARN
Zearn is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization behind Zearn Math, the top-rated math learning platform used by 1 in 4 elementary-school and more than 1 million middle-school students nationwide. Zearn’s mission is to prove all kids are math kids. For more information about Zearn’s work in Louisiana or across the nation, contact Anna O’Sullivan, director of communications, at annao@zearn.org.
