Case Study: Hillcrest Christian College helps students read 12 months faster with Microsoft Corporation digital education tools

Hillcrest students learn to read 12 months faster with digital education tools

Hillcrest Christian College, an independent K-12 school in Queensland, Australia, needed a way to accelerate early literacy while giving students modern tools for learning in a digital world. Working with Microsoft Corporation and using Microsoft Surface devices, Surface Pen, Microsoft Teams, OneNote, OneDrive for Business Online, and SharePoint Online, the college sought to improve reading and writing outcomes and make classroom collaboration easier.

Microsoft Corporation helped Hillcrest implement the ILR reading and writing program on Surface Pro and Surface Book 2 devices, with students using digital pen tools to practice literacy skills and teachers managing content and progress in Microsoft 365. The results have been significant: early learners are reading up to 12 months ahead of historical expectations, the school saves about AU$6,000 a year by reducing printing, and student work is securely stored in the cloud, simplifying support and enabling smoother learning across classrooms.

Hillcrest Christian College

Jeff Davis

Executive Head