Case Study: Loudoun County Public Schools saves teachers time with Newsela

How Loudoun County’s ELA department navigates ever-growing time demands through a culture of ongoing professional growth

Loudoun County Public Schools, a large district with 85,000 students, faced the challenge of helping its ELA teachers manage substantially increased time demands after switching to virtual learning. Teachers were spending more time on instructional planning, learning new classroom management tools, and finding ways to connect students with appropriate reading materials while also balancing significant personal responsibilities. The district needed a way to save teachers time while maintaining its workshop model that prioritizes student voice and choice.

The solution was implemented using Newsela, a digital content platform. Newsela provided a reliable, curated source of texts, eliminating the need for teachers to search the internet for materials. The district created and shared customizable text sets, enabling efficient, differentiated instruction. Furthermore, Loudoun County integrated the Newsela Certified Educator program to provide manageable, ongoing professional development, which built internal capacity and helped teachers share best practices quickly. This approach saved teachers valuable time and was celebrated as a way to recognize and appreciate their efforts.

Loudoun County Public Schools

Michelle Picard

Supervisor of Secondary English