The math foundations developed in elementary school are critical keys for advanced student success. Math fact fluency frees up students’ working memory (and it’s one of the strongest predictors of standardized test performance), and fractions proficiency significantly impacts understanding of algebra and advanced math.
But, if students struggle with these core skills, the elementary math timeframe becomes even more critical to increasing achievement with evidence-based practices. When students lack baseline math knowledge, teachers often get caught in an endless cycle of catch-up or remediation, leaving little to no room for their autonomy and creativity to shine in the ways they trained for.
Powerful new educational research provides evidence of Reflex and Frax's efficacy in supporting struggling students’ academic growth to reach grade-level proficiency. The two-year longitudinal study examined a cohort of 807 students in a large, suburban school district. 78% of students were economically disadvantaged, and all students scored two or more years below grade level in math at the start of grade 2.
Researchers evaluated differences in math standards performance and learning outcomes from fall 2021 to spring 2023 using diagnostic math benchmark assessment scores administered at the beginning and end of the academic years. The results reveal the significantly positive impact of Reflex and Frax on student achievement.
Key finding: Reflex usage in 2nd grade leads to 11 percentile point gain
Researchers found that 2nd-grade students improved by an average of 11 percentile points when they frequently used Reflex—the adaptive and individualized math fact fluency program—while non-users only improved by an average of 5 percentile points. The students who used Reflex were also significantly more likely to meet or exceed on-grade-level proficiency by the end of second grade than non-users (16% vs 9%).
Key finding: Reflex and Frax users more likely to reach grade level proficiency by the end of 3rd grade
The same 2nd-grade students who used Reflex advanced to 3rd grade and used Frax, the game-based and research-driven tool for learning fractions. Data revealed that when students used both Reflex and Frax, they were 2.5x more likely to meet or exceed on-grade level math proficiency by the end of 3rd grade (40%) compared to non-users (16%).
The greater impact of Reflex and Frax
In less than two years, researchers observed that the combination of Reflex and Frax helped a significant number of learners who struggled in math meet or even exceed grade-level proficiency standards. These findings underscore the power of Reflex and Frax to increase math achievement in a short amount of instructional time. But the positive gains aren’t only for students. When learners achieve grade-level proficiency, teachers are empowered to teach in ways that only they can do best. Educators can extend math learning through classroom discourse, projects, and advanced work that simply wouldn’t be possible without students’ firm grasp of foundational concepts.
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