Liberty, MO

District Statistics

Fast ForWord software unlocking the potential for learning at Liberty Public School District.

Located just north of Kansas City, the historic town of Liberty, Missouri, has a population of 28,000 people, an old-fashioned courthouse, and a real middle America hometown feeling. Thanks to the dedication of school superintendent Scott Taveau, it also has a growing Fast ForWord software program that is winning rave reviews from teachers, parents and students.

According to Barbara Wippich, Assistant Principal of Liberty's Lewis and Clark Elementary School, it all started three years ago when Taveau attended a superintendents' meeting and heard a speaker talking about the 30 years of brain research behind Fast ForWord products. Curious and intrigued, he went back to Liberty and talked with school administrators about what he had heard.

Soon he, the district literacy coach and the executive director of staff development went off to Chicago to see a hands-on demonstration. The result: in the summer of 2006, the school district piloted Fast ForWord software at an elementary school, a middle school and a high school.

"It's not just about reading. We're building the capacity to do many more things."

"We're not dumb, and we can do it."

According to Wippich, "The pilot helped our coaches to understand the products and helped us learn to choose the students who could benefit most from the program." The learning curve paid off as anecdotal evidence of big changes in the students began coming in from the lab coaches.

"Many of these kids have ADHD and other disorders that make it hard for them to sit and stay on task," says Wippich. "So one of the first things we heard was how much better they could sit and attune to what they were doing. Because they got instant feedback, they seemed to buy in to the products very quickly."

The lab coaches also noticed that across the board, the students' self esteem was rising. "The kids clearly were beginning to think that they weren't dumb, but that they were bright, and they could do it," Wippich said.

Feeling safe, happy and successful.

Some students have exhibited truly unexpected behaviors. In one instance, Wippich recalled a special service student, a girl who worked very hard to raise her scores. "She wasn't successful at first, so she worked and worked for many days, and finally she did succeed. Then, when another student was having the same problems she'd had, without any prompting from the lab coaches, she went over to him and encouraged him to keep trying. She told him that if he didn't give up, he'd be able to do it, just like she could."

Wippich said, "Kids who feel they can't do things, you don't usually see them stepping up to the plate like that." She was also amazed to hear that "my elementary school teachers tell me the kids often get into trouble because they're running to the Fast ForWord lab! They can't wait to get there."

Wippich noted that "A lot of the lab coaches don't have the lights on, so it's very calm and very quiet. The little group of 10 to 15 kids who work there get to be like a little community, and they feel safe. Plus they feel successful, because every day they see what they've done."

"We're excited that this might be the key to unlock those students we haven't been able to unlock before."

Early scores indicate a big leap in cognitive skills.

As this is the first year Fast ForWord products have been fully implemented in Liberty's schools, Wippich says final data is not yet available on all of the test scores. But individual scores are so impressive that everyone is sitting up and taking notice.

For instance, Wippich noted one student who took the SAT-10 before using Fast ForWord products, and who scored in the 25th percentile. "She just finished using two Fast ForWord products," said Wippich, "and she's now in the 48th percentile."

Another boy was, unbelievably, in the 1st percentile. After finishing two Fast ForWord products, he's at the 25th percentile. "If you were looking at grade level, he was at 2.9 to begin with, and now he's at 6.0. This was an 8th grade test he took," Wippich reported, "and we're saying,' Whoa!' "

New behaviors delight teachers, parents.

According to Wippich, teachers are reporting dramatic new behaviors in their students who are using Fast ForWord products. "One child couldn't even participate in the program at first, he was so restless. He couldn't sit down; he was rustling papers. This kid now is on Reading 5, and his behavior is exemplary. His classroom teachers are saying ' Wow!' because he's become so focused and attentive."

Wippich recalled a fourth grader who also completed two Fast ForWord products. "Last week, his teacher said he was so excited about his timed math test. He could never finish them before. This time, he had all 100 of the problems done, and he told his teacher,' I can remember them, and they're right.' "

"This is what we're so excited about," claimed Wippich. "It's not just about reading. We're building the capacity to do many more things."

Parents are so thrilled with the results so far that, Wippich said, "We have a waiting list now of parents who want their children in the program. One mother told her son's teacher that he is a changed boy...he seems more mature and cares about his homework. Another mom called to say how excited she was that her child was on the list, because her daughter was already in the junior high program and she'd seen the changes in her."

Students are becoming responsible for themselves.

Wippich feels that "we're still just learning to crawl. We're not up to the sprint yet. But we're terribly excited with what we've seen so far. The change in attitude, the increase in self esteem, the ability to focus and the ability to remember. When they begin to say, ' Okay, what is it that I have to do for schoolwork?' you know they're beginning to take responsibility for themselves," she said.

On a final note, Wippich added, "You know, we always had intervention programs. But there are always those children that even when you intervene, you're just not connecting with. We're excited that this might be the key to unlock those students we haven't been able to unlock before."