Case Study: Upper Merion Area School District advances equitable instruction with Newsela

How Upper Merion used flexible digital content to double-down on equity efforts

Upper Merion Area School District faced the challenge of ensuring equitable instruction for its diverse student population, which includes a significant percentage of low-income students, students with IEPs, and English Language Learners. This challenge was magnified during the shift to virtual learning, as the district worked to break down barriers to access and provide content that represented all student identities. They turned to Newsela to help address these instructional equity needs.

By implementing Newsela's platform, the district provided teachers with flexible digital content that could be easily adapted to different reading levels, making complex topics accessible to all learners, including special education and ESL students. The vendor's curated collections and paired articles were integrated into daily lessons, and formative assessments allowed students to demonstrate understanding in various ways. As a result, Newsela provided a scalable solution that exceeded the district's equity criteria for curricular resources, helping to ensure every student received engaging and accessible instruction.

Upper Merion Area School District