Blue Springs School District, located just outside of Kansas City, Missouri, serves over 15,000 K-12 students. Like many school districts, Blue Springs faced significant challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including widening learning gaps among students. With 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, 2 high schools, and 1 alternative high school, the district recognized the urgent need to address these gaps with intentional instructional decisions. Administrators and teachers sought to reduce the burden of catch-up while providing support and actionable data to inform teaching and better meet students' needs.
Data-driven learning and the role of MAP Growth
To tackle these challenges, Blue Springs turned to data-driven instruction, beginning with the integration of NWEA’s MAP Growth assessment. MAP Growth is an adaptive assessment that provides real-time insights into student performance and helps educators make informed decisions about instruction.
Starting in the 2023/24 school year, Blue Springs implemented MAP Growth, allowing educators to:
- Continuously monitor student progress.
- Identify areas of strength and weakness in real-time.
- Tailor instruction to meet each student’s unique needs.
By utilizing this system, Blue Springs empowered its teachers to move away from static assessments and instead use ongoing data to make informed instructional decisions.
Integrating technology to personalize learning
In addition to MAP Growth, Blue Springs has integrated technology to help personalize learning experiences for students. One key tool in this effort has been Waggle, a supplemental learning platform designed for grades K-8 in ELA and Math. Waggle is engaging and interactive, offering students personalized, real-time feedback as they work through assignments.
“Before, teachers made decisions about how to meet the needs of students without a clear understanding of where those students truly were academically. This technology helps teachers make decisions that are precisely tailored to what students need,” said Erin Bailey, District-level Instructional Coach at Blue Springs School District.
By combining MAP Growth data with Waggle’s adaptive learning environment, Blue Springs has created a system where teachers can:
- Quickly differentiate instruction
- Organize students into learning groups based on their academic needs
- Provide targeted support and interventions that are data-driven
As Erin Bailey noted, “This [technology] is very tailored to meeting those needs and helps teachers know that the decisions they’re making today are what’s best for their students.”
Expanding the data-driven framework
To further enhance the district’s data-driven approach, Blue Springs introduced Into Math, a K-8 curriculum that supports personalized math instruction. When combined with MAP Growth data and Waggle for personalized practice, this curriculum offers teachers a more cohesive, data-driven solution for teaching math.
This integration ensures that both students and teachers have a clear, continuous feedback loop, empowering students to see their progress and boosting motivation.
The role of administration in supporting data-driven instruction
The successful implementation of this data-driven framework has been strongly supported by Blue Springs’ administration. Principals have received specialized training on interpreting data and facilitating conversations with teachers about student progress. This ensures that:
- Principals are actively involved in monitoring and analyzing student data.
- Teachers are equipped with the necessary tools and support to make data-informed instructional decisions.
- A collaborative culture around student achievement is fostered district-wide.
Blue Springs School District employees Erin Bailey (left), District Instructional Coach, and Cassie Gengelbach (center), Director of Elementary Education, chat with HMH.
Early identification of learning gaps
One of the most significant benefits of this data-driven approach is the ability to identify learning gaps early in the school year. By combining resources like MAP Growth, Waggle, and Into Math, teachers are able to detect areas of need early and provide targeted interventions before gaps become more pronounced.
This proactive approach allows Blue Springs to:
- Identify at-risk students early in the school year.
- Provide timely interventions to help students stay on track.
- Continuously adjust instruction based on real-time data.
Setting a new standard for data-driven education
By effectively leveraging tools like MAP Growth, Waggle, and Into Math, and by fostering a culture of collaboration and support among administrators, teachers, and students, Blue Springs School District has set a new standard for data-driven education. The district’s efforts not only address learning gaps but also create a sustainable, data-informed approach to improving student achievement.
With its focus on continuous data collection, personalized learning, and early intervention, Blue Springs is showing how data-driven practices can transform education and better support students at every stage of their academic journey.
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