Category Archives: standards based curriculum

Progress in Reading Scores?

Posted on November 23, 2011 by meritsoftware

Earlier this month the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report on 4th and 8th grade reading and math scores were released by the U.S. National Center for Educational Statistics.   Reading scores continued to show no progress.

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Congratulations – Aztec High School!

Posted on September 26, 2011 by meritsoftware

Laurie Treat, librarian at Aztec High School, Aztec, NM, wrote in to tell us exciting news. She won a Conoco Phillips grant to purchase Merit reading comprehension software for remediation and RtI for students who are non-proficient in reading.

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Can Changing Reading and Writing Instruction Raise SAT Scores?

Posted on September 23, 2011 by meritsoftware

SAT reading scores in 2011 were the lowest on record. This is the second time in the past two decades that reading scores have fallen as much in a single year. It is well known that middle and high school students … Continue reading →

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How Merit Makes a 3rd Grade Teacher More Effective

Posted on February 25, 2011 by meritsoftware

A 3rd grade teacher at a California public school recently wrote how, and why, she likes using Merit’s Basic Skills Pack with her students. I like Merit because it is not just drill and kill. It helps my students think … Continue reading →

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New Teaching Tips for the Writing Process

Posted on January 15, 2011 by meritsoftware

The web-based editions of the Punch process writing programs were introduced more than two years ago. In that time, many instructors and students have shared with us best practices for using them.  Based on their input we’ve posted new teaching tips … Continue reading →

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Will Common Standards Improve U.S. Schools?

Posted on July 28, 2010 by meritsoftware

Twenty-six states have now adopted the Common Core standards in English language arts and math developed by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, and all but two states have expressed interest in following suit. … Continue reading →

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Investing in Innovation (i3) Grants Update

Posted on October 28, 2009 by meritsoftware

The U.S. Department of Education has issued additional guidance for its upcoming $650 million Investing in Innovation (i3) grants.

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More College Prep Help Needed for U.S. Students

Posted on August 26, 2009 by meritsoftware

According to a new study published by ACT, Inc. the percentage of U.S. high school graduates ready to earn at least a “C” or higher in first-year college courses was only 23 percent in 2009

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Investing In Innovation (i3) Fund

Posted on August 26, 2009 by meritsoftware

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced preliminary guidelines for the $650 Million Investing In Innovation (i3) grant program.  Unlike the previously announced Race to the Top funds which were only for public schools, i3 funds will also … Continue reading →

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Rethinking elementary classroom instruction

Posted on January 6, 2009 by meritsoftware

The Center for Educational Policy (CEP) just announced a new report about the impact of the NCLB on the classroom. The study found that in schools in need of improvement teachers are more likely than those in higher-achieving schools to … Continue reading →

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