Highly Diverse Illinois District uses Achieve3000 Literacy to Drive Unprecedented ELA Growth Over Time

The study focuses on the Achieve3000 Literacy program, an adaptive digital platform designed to improve literacy outcomes for students in Grades 3–12. Conducted in Valley View School District 365U, a highly diverse suburban district in Will County, Illinois, the research examines literacy growth across grades 5 through 8. The district serves approximately 15,000 students, with 63.7% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, 21.6% classified as English learners, and 17% receiving special education services.

Results indicate statistically significant positive effects on literacy achievement. In an earlier study in this district from 2019, there was a strong positive correlation between Lexile measures and the IAR ELA score(r = 0.77, p < 0.0001). They also found that 92% of students who engaged with Achieve3000 Literacy at high fidelity met or exceeded IAR ELA standards. (High fidelity is defined as completing 45 or more activities with an average first-try score of 75% or higher.) In 2022-2023, eighth graders achieved a growth percentile that was greater than 67% of their peers across the state. By 2023–2024, Valley View students in Grades 6–8 outperformed their peers statewide on the IAR ELA. Cohort analysis revealed consistent year-over-year improvement, with the percentage of students meeting/exceeding IAR standards increasing from 19% in Grade 5 (2020–2021) to 67% in Grade 8 (2023–2024).