CONTACT:
Anna O’Sullivan
annao@zearn.org
BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 30, 2023 – Building upon one of the most comprehensive statewide plans nationally to accelerate math learning in 2022, Louisiana has deepened its investment in the “Math Refresh”. A key part of the enhanced “Math Refresh” – built upon four central pillars – includes free district and school access to Zearn Math and the addition of comprehensive training for all educators and school and district leaders during the 2024-25 school year.
“We are proud to continue deepening our commitment and expanding on our plan to support math teaching and learning throughout Louisiana,” said Louisiana Deputy Superintendent of Education Dr. Jenna Chiasson. “As I’ve expressed many times, it is our belief that every child can reach their potential when we address their individual needs, no matter their background. It is up to us as educators, however, to give students the highest quality resources to move their learning forward.”
The top-rated math learning platform, which significantly contributed to LEAP score growth among Louisiana 4th- through seventh-grade students in 2022, is not new to Louisiana. When the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) offered low- and no-cost access to a high-quality math learning curriculum in 2014, teachers discovered Zearn’s digital lessons complemented what students were learning in their classrooms.
“I have used Zearn in my classroom for six years, and I appreciate how the platform introduces students to various problem solving strategies so they can then choose which one works best for them,” said Amy Taylor, second grade math and science teacher, Caddo Parish Public Schools and LATM Outstanding Mathematics Teacher of the Year 2022. “No matter how they solve a problem, Zearn helps students build conceptual understanding by starting with the concrete and then intentionally progressing to pictorial and abstract representations.”
“In the past four years, I’ve used Zearn as both a core curriculum and digital complement,” said Darbi Conca, third-grade teacher, Vermillion Parish School System and 2018 Teacher of the Year. “One of the key benefits is the opportunity to work more closely with students in teacher-led small groups. In this setting, throughout each lesson, students have numerous opportunities for deeper discussions, which I can help facilitate.”
Today, Zearn’s instructional materials – elementary school materials and middle school materials – were recently rated Tier 1 by LDOE, meaning materials “met all non-negotiable criteria and scored the best possible on all indicators of superior quality.”
“Our work with Louisiana educators and students spans nearly the full history of Zearn as a nonprofit organization,” said Zearn CEO and Co-Founder Shalinee Sharma. “Teachers built Zearn for teaching, and our early work on the ground with Louisiana educators fueled the continuous improvement that we are still committed to today.”
Zearn offers more than 1,000 digital lessons, real-time progress monitoring, ongoing educator training and resources for parents and caregivers. For more information, visit Zearn for Louisiana.
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 1 million middle-school students nationwide. For more information about Zearn’s work in Louisiana or across the nation, contact Anna O’Sullivan, director of communications, at annao@zearn.org.
