StepUP Academy
Accelerate students by pre-teaching next year’s standards
What is the StepUP Academy?
The StepUP Academy is a comprehensive program that was originally developed to prepare English language learners for the upcoming school year, thereby increasing their academic success. DataWORKS now offers a variety of academies aimed at helping all students succeed in the classroom. The academies include leadership and teacher training, pre-written lessons, workbooks, and all other necessary materials.
Touted as one of the best ways to accelerate English Learners, the DataWORKS StepUP Academy has been a proven success in school districts across California, according to DataWORKS General Manager, Mario Cuadra.
Teachers who participate in our program are trained in the use of research-based strategies that will advance their students’ academic and cognitive growth. This training is then put into practice in our academy classrooms. Teachers gain real-world experience in using these strategies. Additional daily coaching and feedback sessions give teachers guidance on how they can further increase their instructional effectiveness.
DataWORKS provides all the lessons, enabling teachers to focus on applying the practices proven to facilitate student learning. All lessons are on grade level and the objectives come directly from the state standards. Teachers are provided with a manual that includes
all the material in the student handbook plus a Power Point presentation of the lesson material (transparencies can be provided, if needed).
While most summer school programs focus on remediation for struggling students, our academy accelerates students. During the StepUP Academy, students are pre-taught material they would normally encounter for the first time the following school year. By frontloading the curriculum, students are given a foundation upon which to build subsequent knowledge.
Academy Programs
DataWORKS has several different types of academies. Currently, we offer programs that cover English Language Arts (K-12), CAHSEE Language Arts, Mathematics (K-7), Algebra I, and CAHSEE Mathematics.
Every language arts academy includes reading comprehension and vocabulary standards. The primary focus is on using expository and narrative text in addressing these standards in order to build the vocabulary of English learners. Academic, content, and support vocabulary is practiced daily. Kindergarten and 1st grade students practice sight words, while older students have daily oral reading fluency drills.
Our mathematics academies focus on high leverage standards and include daily "math fluency" in math facts and integer rules. In our two-week Algebra I program, six of the most foundational standards are covered, giving the students the knowledge base they need to succeed in the following year.
"The results of this program have been amazing," said John Hollingsworth, founder of DataWORKS Educational Research. "Some students who participated in our language arts academy reported that they read more during
the summer than during the entire school year, and math academy students stated that for the first time they liked math."
The DataWORKS StepUP Academy has been implemented in 10 districts in California, New Mexico, and South Carolina. Schools report that not only has it improved learning for the attending students, but it has also improved teacher practices—something that will allow teachers to be more effective for their entire career.
Funding
Professional development is a base requirement for many federal programs. Title I requires that a minimum of 10% be set aside for comprehensive staff development. Other programs such as Title II (Improving Teacher Quality), Title III (Supplemental Services for Limited English Proficient), and IDEA (Special Education) encourage spending on professional development. The StepUP Academy provides a unique opportunity to use staff development funds to improve teaching while providing direct services to students at the same time.