Official letter from
Dr. Randy Watson
Kansas Commissioner of Education
DALLAS, October 5, 2015 — Istation, a leader in educational technology, is the chosen bidder on the statewide Kansas Reading Success Program and has been awarded a contract through the Kansas Department of Education. All pre-K through 8th grade students at public and open-enrollment charter schools in Kansas are now eligible for unlimited access to Istation Reading and Istation Home at no charge for this school year through June 30, 2016. The contract has the option to renew for five additional years.
Istation Reading is a computer-delivered reading program. Eligible Kansas schools will have free access to Istation’s computer-adaptive reading assessments and highly interactive digital curriculum, which provides each student with an individualized learning path. Students can use their Istation subscriptions at home, including on iPads and Chromebook devices. Educators and parents can access online reports that track student progress and provide links to supplemental lessons. Istation’s research-based program supports intervention, development and enrichment, making it appropriate for all learners.
Istation has contracted with Fort Hays State University College of Education in Hays, Kansas, to provide various research and data analysis, including the examination of the effects of the Istation Reading program on participating students.
“We are proud to be chosen as a partner in the Kansas Reading Success Program. Students and teachers across Kansas have free access to technology that can assist teachers and help all students enhance their reading proficiency, particularly those students who are struggling the most,” said Istation Chairman and CEO Richard H. Collins.
The Istation Reading curriculum is correlated to the Kansas College and Career Readiness Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy for kindergarten-5th grade and for 6th-8th grade. Istation Reading has been reviewed and endorsed by the Council of Administrators of Special Education, the National Center on Response to Intervention and the Florida Center for Reading Research. More than a dozen studies and reviews conducted over the last decade prove Istation’s learning programs deliver results. Research also shows that students who consistently use Istation experience greater growth in their reading ability than students who don’t.
As part of the Kansas Reading Success Program, Istation will host numerous on-site training seminars throughout Kansas and provide access to an additional 30 Webinars during the 2015-2016 school year. Educators will learn how to easily and effectively implement Istation in their classrooms and on their campuses. For more information, to sign up or to attend a free informational Webinar, go to www.istation.com/KansasReadingSuccess.
For more information, contact Istation PR/Communications Manager Teresa Woodard at 972-715-3887 or twoodard@istation.com
About Istation
Founded in 1998 and based in Dallas, Texas, Istation (Imagination Station) has become one of the nation's leading providers of richly animated, game-like educational technology. Winner of several national educational technology awards, the Istation program puts more instructional time in the classroom through small-group and collaborative instruction. Istation's innovative reading, math and Spanish programs immerse students in an engaging and interactive environment and inspire them to learn. Additionally, administrators and educators can use Istation to easily track the progress of their students, schools and classrooms. Istation now serves over 4 million students throughout the United States and in several other countries.