Case Study: Horizon Science Academy Springfield achieves faster early literacy gains with Renaissance

Improved K–2 assessments help charter schools achieve fast gains in early literacy

Horizon Science Academy Springfield, a charter school in Toledo, Ohio, needed a faster and more effective way to assess a diverse K–2 student population, provide immediate feedback, and improve classroom efficiency. Vendor Renaissance addressed these challenges with Renaissance Star Early Literacy® and Renaissance Accelerated Reader® to support more frequent, detailed early literacy assessments and progress monitoring.

With Renaissance Star Early Literacy, teachers could quickly pinpoint sub-skill gaps, personalize instruction, and monitor growth without time-consuming one-on-one testing. The results were strong: the school saw five grade levels of improvement on K–3 literacy report cards, 50 percent more kindergartners above benchmark in one month, and a dramatic reduction in assessment time from 10 hours to 40 minutes for 20 students, along with better student confidence and accountability data.

Horizon Science Academy Springfield

Loren Heimrich

Teacher