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For Immediate Release
Voyager Intervention Programs Help Reduce Special
Education Referrals in Bowling Green City Schools
Bowling Green, Ky., March 27, 2006 – Dishman-McGinnis and Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary Schools in the Bowling Green City School District significantly decreased their special education testing referrals this year compared to last year. Administrators credit the reduction to reading and math intervention programs created by Voyager Expanded Learning®.
"Through focused intervention, we have cut referrals for special education testing by 67 percent at Dishman and 54 percent at Parker-Bennett-Curry," says Vicki Writsel, associate superintendent for learning programs at Bowling Green.
The schools began implementing Voyager Passport™ in kindergarten through third grade during the 2004-2005 school year using funds from the 21st Century grant. Impressed with the immediate increase in student achievement, the schools opted to expand the program into additional grade levels as well as special populations. During the 2005-2006 school year, the schools implemented Voyager Passport in kindergarten through sixth grade with regular and special education students, as well as Vmath®, Voyager's math intervention program.
"We wanted to prevent students from falling behind and now we are improving literacy because of Voyager," says Writsel.
Dishman-McGinnis and Parker-Bennett-Curry continue to implement Voyager Passport in grades kindergarten through six and Vmath in grades three through five.
Voyager Passport is a reading intervention system for students in kindergarten through sixth grade that aligns with all major reading programs. The program provides direct, systematic instruction in each of the essential reading components and is targeted to students for whom the core reading program is not sufficient.
Vmath is a math intervention system for students in grades three through eight that enhances any math curriculum by providing targeted instruction in essential concepts, skills and strategies. Vmath offers flexible implementation models, including small-group instruction, extended-day instruction and intervention-specific classes.
All Voyager programs include access to VPORT®-Voyager's performance management system. VPORT provides real-time data at the student, classroom, building and district level on key reading and math skills. The system enables teachers, principals and district administrators to evaluate progress and use the information to differentiate instruction and target areas of need. It also provides direction for ongoing support services provided by Voyager.
About Voyager Expanded Learning
Voyager Expanded Learning provides core, intervention and supplemental reading programs, as well as math intervention and ongoing professional development programs for school districts throughout the United States. Founded in 1994, Voyager has delivered extended-time reading and basic skills intervention programs as well as large-scale reading programs to more than 1,000 school districts in cities such as Dallas, Phoenix, New York, Philadelphia and the District of Columbia, resulting in dramatically improved student performance. Partnership and collaborations with the Discovery Channel enable Voyager to provide timely and powerful curricula for the American classroom. Voyager Expanded Learning, Inc. is a business unit of ProQuest Company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.voyagerlearning.com or call 1-888-399-1995 .
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