Case Study: STEMconnector builds equity and expands the STEM talent pool with McGraw Hill Education's adaptive learning solution

STEMconnector - Customer Case Study

STEMconnector partnered with McGraw Hill to tackle a persistent workforce problem: too many prospective STEM students—particularly those from underrepresented and low‑income backgrounds—are blocked by weak foundational math skills, low confidence, and high remediation rates that limit entry into STEM majors and careers. To address equity and expand the STEM talent pool, the paper highlights use of McGraw Hill’s ALEKS adaptive learning platform as a targeted solution for college math courses.

McGraw Hill deployed ALEKS in blended/flipped classroom models at institutions including Arizona State University, Cedar Valley Community College, and Clemson University, producing measurable gains: ASU College Algebra pass rates rose from 62% (Fall 2015) to 79% (Fall 2018) and underrepresented students’ GPAs improved by ~0.5; Cedar Valley saw pass‑rate increases (Elementary Algebra 46%→64%, Intermediate 54%→71%, College Algebra 58%→72%); and Clemson’s Pre‑Calculus pass rate climbed from 45% to about 70% with much higher progression into and success in Calculus and STEM degrees. McGraw Hill’s ALEKS also boosted student confidence and individual outcomes, evidenced by student success stories such as Shantel Butler’s path to an engineering degree.

STEMconnector