Last Updated on August 11, 2023
Listenwise is excited to announce that we have earned ESSA Level IV certification via third-party partner LearnPlatform. This achievement means that Listenwise has demonstrated that we meet the requirements of compliance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“The Listenwise solution has a foundation in existing research,” says Mary Styers, Ph.D., Director of Research, LearnPlatform by Instructure. “By offering an extensive differentiated lesson library and other instructional support, Listenwise provides a clear avenue to the development of student listening skills, especially for English learners.”
Our ESSA Level IV certification represents an important step in our progress towards a robust portfolio of data-supported evidence demonstrating the efficacy of Listenwise to improve teaching and learning.
“Every day we hear from teachers and administrators about how Listenwise is helping their students make academic progress across all domains,” says Adam Buchbinder, Listenwise’s VP of Sales. “Now with our ESSA Level IV certification we offer a research-based logic model demonstrating that our pedagogical approach is grounded in best practices.”
What is ESSA?
In 2015, a new national education law known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Many ESSA programs encourage districts and schools to use interventions that demonstrate evidence of efficacy in improving student outcomes. The four tiers of evidence-based interventions, according to ESSA, are as follows:
Tier 1 – Strong Evidence
Tier 2 – Moderate Evidence
Tier 3 – Promising Evidence
Tier 4 – Demonstrates a Rationale
Listenwise’s certification validates that our product satisfies ESSA evidence requirements for ESSA Level IV:
- Detailed logic model informed by previous, high-quality research
- Study planning and design is currently underway for an ESSA Level III study
As indicated on the CA DOE website, this level of validation meets requirements for most ESSA programs and could advance eligibility.
Listenwise’s partnership with LearnPlatform shows our long term commitment to validating efficacy through research. Level IV certification is the first step on the roadmap to demonstrating that Listenwise is linked to growth in student learning. Achieving ESSA Level IV status also opens up ESSER funds, making adoption of Listenwise less of a financial lift for schools and districts.
At this critical crossroads in education, it is more vital than ever for providers to be able to show how their products are making an impact and how taxpayer dollars are being spent on evidence-based solutions.
