Case Study: South Central Unified School District boosts reading achievement with Renaissance

Boundless creativity and highest expectations: How a Nebraska district inspires reading-driven achievement

South Central Unified School District in Fairfield, Nebraska, partnered with Renaissance to boost reading interest and achievement while also supporting its career- and college-readiness initiatives. The district needed a way to improve state test performance, engage students across ability levels, and build stronger reading habits that would carry into its new professional studies and CAPS pathways.

Renaissance implemented Renaissance Accelerated Reader 360® and Renaissance Star Reading® to set reading goals, track progress, and motivate students through incentives and hands-on learning experiences. The results included a 15–25 percent improvement on NeSA standardized tests, grade-level gains across the student population, increased focus on nonfiction reading, and stronger participation in research and STEM projects, with two semesters of 100 percent goal attainment among pre-K–8 students.

South Central Unified School District

Sharon Radabaugh

Paraprofessional