Data-driven Evidence Underscores the Effectiveness of the Platform
By Kristin Clark Taylor
The “E” Words Have it.
Listen carefully, and you’ll hear it.
It’s the sound of excitement and enthusiasm as educators throughout the nation share their thoughts about QuaverReady.
What’s notable is the words they’re using to describe it.
Words like,
“Effective,”
“Engaging,” and
“Evidence-based.”
And here’s another “E”-word to add to the list – perhaps the most all-encompassing descriptor of them all:
“EXCELLENT.”
These are some of the descriptors that Dr. Katie Ahsell uses when she reflects on the impact that QuaverReady is having in classrooms throughout her school district.
Dr. Ahsell, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Support at Community Consolidated School District 59 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is a leader in her field and is deeply passionate about delivering social-emotional learning skills to her schools.
Dr. Ahsell believes that educators should feel empowered in their classrooms, free to select and customize the QuaverReady lessons in a way that works best for them.
“The way we use Quaver is by giving our teachers access to all of it, then encouraging them to tailor the lessons to the needs of their students,” she says.
Dr. Ahsell also sees tremendous value in the fact that QuaverReady adheres to the CASEL competencies and to mandated state standards.
“Teachers have quite a bit on their plate,” Ahsell concedes. “They have a lot to keep track of.”
With Quaver, she says, “Teachers know that they’re hitting all of the standards and all of the competencies. We have that guarantee that compliance to the standards is being addressed.”
Ahsell is also grateful for the philosophical alignment that exists.
“Quaver aligns so well with our instructional philosophies as well as our curricular needs,” she says.
“At the district, we’re focused on engaging our students — and engagement is what the Quaver platform is all about.”
Rooted in Research
Both QuaverReady and the Community Consolidated School District 59 (CCSD-59) are deeply committed to an evidence-based, data-driven approach.
Take a look at QuaverReady’s Effectiveness Study:
The study supports the conclusion that using QuaverReady for instructional skills for elementary-level students significantly improves readiness skills.
Dr. Ahsell echoes a similarly evidence-based approach.
“Most people are looking for positive changes in their data, and we can certainly show that,” she says.
She quickly cites a few notable facts that, in her estimation, offer empirical evidence that QuaverReady is bringing great benefit to the district.
“We’ve had significantly high ‘sense of belonging’ data from our students — in the 80th and 90th percentile,” she says with pride.
“Also, in about the last three years, we’ve seen a major decline in behavioral incidents across our school system.”
Some Really, Really Great News
Ready for an announcement that will make you smile?
QuaverReady Middle School is coming soon!
The new curriculum will be designed to build readiness skills for students in grades six through eight, building upon the foundational skills and strategies taught in elementary school.
It will include the five CASEL units, and all of the lessons will align with the core competencies, ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors, and SSWAA standards.
Dr. Ahsell says her district is looking forward to the possibility of expanding its use of the curriculum.
“QuaverReady helps us ensure that every child gets a viable SEL experience that represents each of the three goals for the state standards and the five CASEL competencies,” she remarks. “This is our foundation. Everything else builds on that.”
Clearly, Dr. Katie Ahsell is a leader who cares deeply about the social-emotional development of the students and teachers in CCSD-59.
Ask her what tool she uses to get the job done, and she’ll answer the question very quickly:
“QuaverReady!”
To learn more about QuaverReady or to request a demo, visit QuaverEd.com/Ready.
Kristin Clark Taylor is an author and a journalist.
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