BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DreamBox Learning, the leading education technology provider that in 2006 pioneered intelligent adaptive learning, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Reading Plus, an evidence-based online reading program for grades 3-12 designed to help students boost their literacy skills and reading confidence. This move complements DreamBox’s recent acquisition of Squiggle Park, a K-2 reading solution designed to help students gain proficiency in early literacy. The combined programs offer school districts the only dual-discipline solution rated “Strong” by Johns Hopkins’ EvidenceforESSA.org in both mathematics and reading.
“These strategic additions to the DreamBox family represent a significant milestone toward achieving our mission to radically change the way the world learns and unlock learning potential for all students – regardless of race, gender or zip code,” said Jessie Woolley-Wilson, President and CEO of DreamBox Learning. “We believe the winning formula to shape the future of learning has three components: dual-discipline offerings that cultivate a strong foundation in mathematics and reading; strong data and analytics solutions that leverage formative data to personalize the learning experience; and professional development to help educators develop their blended learning knowledge and skills.”
Currently, DreamBox supports over 5 million students and over 200,000 educators in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated DreamBox’s growth as most district administrators rapidly adopted and scaled blended learning solutions to support remote learning. During this time, teachers’ attitudes towards blended learning changed and they began to see it as a powerful and effective strategy to deliver engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences that enabled them to keep learning “on” even when schools were closed.
“DreamBox’s mission-driven leadership, adaptive learning model, and third-party validation made the decision to join forces a natural next step for Reading Plus,” said Steven Guttentag, Ph.D., CEO of Reading Plus. “As educators look to accelerate student learning in the wake of the pandemic, they will find in this combined mathematics and reading solution a comprehensive, data-driven approach that provides the actionable insight needed to close any learning gaps.”
Equipped with a proven model, a bold vision, and a market awakening to the need for education technology, DreamBox’s entry into the ELA space strengthens its position as an industry leader in edtech with its winning strategy of offering a proven dual-discipline solution, robust analytics and data, and value-added services.
“DreamBox continues to focus on rigorous evidence of efficacy and real learning gains for students,” said Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education, DreamBox board member, and Senior Advisor to The Rise Fund. “That is what technology in education is all about. We are thrilled to support DreamBox’s visionary leadership as they scale their impact into a new discipline and deepen their mission to transform the way students learn.”
Together these solutions advance DreamBox’s commitment to meet each learner where they are, while complementing teacher instruction with actionable student learning data and professional development resources. DreamBox’s dual-discipline approach also offers educators the option of selecting a single provider they can trust, offering mathematics and reading solutions that are backed by data and research.
The additions come at one of the most critical moments in education, and a year of unprecedented growth at DreamBox – a year which validated the company’s long-term vision and strategy and further established the company as best-of-breed in the industry.
To learn more about DreamBox, visit https://www.dreambox.com/.
About DreamBox Learning
DreamBox Learning, founded in 2006 in Bellevue, Washington, is the only K-8 digital math program powered by students, built by and for educators, and independently proven to positively impact student achievement. DreamBox dynamically adapts and differentiates in real time based not only on students’ answers, but also on how they solve problems. Along with actionable reporting and tools that empower differentiation for all learners, DreamBox gives teachers content-specific professional development and provides administrators with insights about how all students are progressing. The company’s pioneering platform has won more than 40 top education and technology industry awards and is used by 200,000 teachers and nearly 5 million students in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and throughout Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit http://www.dreambox.com/.
About Reading Plus
Reading Plus is an evidence-based, online program that provides personalized instruction and intervention for students, improving reading proficiency by 2.5 grade levels in a single school year. The adaptive literacy program develops fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, while also measuring student motivation. It supports students with diverse needs, including multilingual learners, students who qualify for special education services, RTI/MTSS Tiers 1–3, and advanced readers. Reading Plus provides educators with an easy-to-use management and reporting system, extensive resources to guide differentiated instruction, professional development, and highly rated customer support. Used in more than 7,800 schools, the Reading Plus program is helping over 1 million students become confident, lifelong readers. For more information, visit www.readingplus.com.
About Squiggle Park
Squiggle Park, a Halifax-based adaptive web-based learning app, was launched by Eyeread Inc. in 2017 with the goal of helping young children develop reading skills through a literacy platform consisting of small games designed by teachers, researchers, and gamers. Early readers can work on all the skills required to be successful readers including letter identification, blending, and spelling. Research shows that Squiggle Park accelerates reading success in only 30 minutes of weekly engagement and is equally as effective for students with no foundational literacy skills. For more information, visit www.squigglepark.com.
