From 2023-2024, Discovery Education partnered with LearnPlatform by Instructure, a third-party research company, to show the impact of DreamBox Math on student outcomes in a large public school district in California.
This study examined the relationship between DreamBox Math usage and student math achievement for 8,393 K–8 students.
LearnPlatform used a correlative design to align with ESSA Level III evidence standards. It included all students in the district who used DreamBox Math during the 2023-2024 school year.
What Were the Key Takeaways from the Study?
- Students who used DreamBox Math at either moderate or high frequency both had significantly higher assessment scores than those with low usage.
- Grades K-2 who had moderate or high frequency scored +10 points higher on the NWEA than those who completed fewer weekly lessons.
- Grades 3-5 who had moderate or high frequency scored +7 points higher on the NWEA than those who completed fewer weekly lessons.
- Grades 3-5 who had moderate or high frequency scored +16 points higher on SBAC than those who completed fewer weekly lessons.
- Students in certain subgroups (Hispanic, SED, ELL) who completed more DreamBox Math lessons per week achieved higher spring math assessment scores than peers in the same subgroups who completed fewer weekly lessons. These differences were statistically significant.
Who Was Included in the Study?
This study included 8,393 K-8 students across 42 elementary and middle schools in one large public district in California.
What Data Were Evaluated?
- Performance was compared on standardized assessments like NWEA MAP® and the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC).
- Students were grouped by how many DreamBox lessons they completed per week: Low (≤ 2 lessons), Moderate (2–5), High (> 5)
Source: LearnPlatform by Instructure, Researchers Meetal Shah, Ph.D., Lead Researcher and Andrew Scanlan, M.A., Senior Researcher “DreamBox Math (2023-24) Study Type: ESSA Evidence Level III” May 2025
