Students Significantly Improve MAP Scores with Regular Use of DreamBox Math
Success Stories
Salem School District
Salem, WI
Building Strong Student Usage
At the Salem 4K-8 school, students know Craig Velleux as Mr. DreamBox. His official title, though, is Data Specialist after having served as a math interventionist, coach, and algebra teacher. In 2021, a new administrator brought DreamBox Math by Discovery Education into the district’s curriculum, and Velleux quickly stepped up to ensure its successful implementation. He played a key role in getting DreamBox Math up and running—driving engagement among both teachers and students to maximize its impact.
The first step to strong and consistent use of technology is ensuring all students have equal access. “We make sure all students have devices and anybody at home that doesn’t have one, we loan them one,” explains Velleux. With these devices, students can work on DreamBox Math lessons anywhere and anytime. This is critical to ensuring equal access since all students in K-8 must complete five lessons a week. Those who complete more lessons have seen more improvement.
Driving Math Engagement and Motivation
Getting DreamBox Math into the classroom was easy because teachers saw the value early on. They recognized that the program helped reinforce skills, like math fact fluency, without cutting into valuable class time. “The teachers really like DreamBox Math because they don’t have to reteach and lose class time,” says Velleux. “They can use DreamBox Math to supplement the skills that [students] need.”
While some students need more small-group or one-on-one intervention—and may not complete the weekly lesson requirement—students are enthusiastic about it. They’ve shared two key reasons why they enjoy DreamBox Math: First, they find the game-like lessons make math fun and engaging. Second, the competition and recognition from reaching their math goals keeps them motivated.
The students’ enthusiasm only grew as the district found creative ways to build motivation. One standout example was a friendly math challenge in May 2022. The names of students who did 10 lessons a week were featured on hallway banners and received fun prizes, certificates, and DreamBox Math items like stickers and water bottles. If an entire class met the 10-lesson challenge, Velleux put up a big ribbon on the wall and went into their classroom celebrating their accomplishments enthusiastically.
The Power of Data and Insights
With teacher buy-in and student engagement being so high, Velleux has great expectations for expanding DreamBox Math usage—and he sees data as the way to achieve this. Velleux also sees firsthand how valuable it can be to have student learning data from multiple sources in one place. That’s why he and the Salem team rely on Otus, the leading K-12 data insights solution, to track students’ progress and usage of DreamBox Math.
Otus offers a question-by-question and standard-by-standard breakdown for every student. The analytics show where students are missing standards mastery or where students scored low. Then, the teachers go into DreamBox Math and assign lessons based on each student’s specific needs. But it doesn’t end there. When an educator can also view DreamBox Math data alongside all other insights, it creates a fuller picture and “guarantees that students are getting what they need,” according to Velleux, all thanks to the partnership between DreamBox Math and Otus.
Exciting MAP and State Assessment Results
DreamBox Math has brought more than an increase in student engagement and motivation. During the 2022-2023 school year, MAP testing scores were some of the highest Salem had seen. Similarly, students who used DreamBox regularly saw improved state testing (Wisconsin Forward) scores, especially their 3rd-grade students. Velleux is
confident they will continue hosting building-wide DreamBox Math challenges to energize students and boost
engagement ahead of spring testing each year. Teachers are also confident they will be able to further personalize student learning experiences, enhancing their learning outcomes across grades.