Illinois’ School District U-46 Selects Discovery Education to Support Bilingual Math Teaching and Learning Strategy

- Discovery Education’s Math Techbook and Professional Development to Accelerate District’s Transition to Digital Teaching and Learning -

Silver Spring, Md. (March 27, 2018) - Illinois’ School District U-46 (U-46) today announced it has selected Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, to support the implementation of its new bilingual teaching and learning strategy. This new partnership with Illinois’ second-largest district accelerates the ongoing transition toward digital teaching and learning through a combination of Discovery Education’s Math Techbook and customized professional development services.

Nearly 30 percent of School District U-46’s students are English Learners, a demographic that paved the way for the creation of the District’s renowned Dual Language program. Dual Language is a form of bilingual education in which students are taught literacy and grade-level academic content in two languages. U-46 offers “one-way instruction” for students with a home language background of Spanish who qualify for the English Learner services program. Students without a home background in Spanish or who are English dominant may enroll in “two-way instruction” to learn Spanish and develop bilingual skills along with English Learners.

Today, more than 10,000 students are developing bilingualism and biliteracy skills in U-46 classrooms. The District’s collaboration with Discovery Education will bring digital textbooks to the Algebra I, Algebra II, and Geometry classrooms. Delivered in both English and Spanish, Discovery Education’s digital content is uniquely positioned to meet the bilingual needs of School District U-46’s student body and community.

Discovery Education’s Techbooks are breakthrough digital textbooks that are aligned to rigorous standards, support a comprehensive curriculum, and are updated regularly at no cost. The series supports the academic success of all learners through interactive features that change the reading level of text and enable text to be read aloud. Techbooks save teachers’ time with a comprehensive design that places model lessons, student activities and assessments at their fingertips. Currently, Discovery Education Techbooks are used by more than 5.6 million students in all U.S. states and several Canadian provinces.

School District U-46 students and teachers will use Discovery Education’s Math Techbook, a digital textbook that connects students to math through real-world problems, helping all learners develop long-lasting mastery of mathematical concepts. In 2017, Math Techbook was independently verified by EdReports.org to meet the highest levels of mathematical content and pedagogy. The Math Techbook will be delivered to students through Chromebooks as part of the school district’s one-to-one strategy, creating dynamic digital learning environments that drive higher student engagement.

To ensure each District teacher is fully supported throughout the transition to digital teaching and learning, Discovery Education experts will provide educators robust professional development opportunities that will help them maximize their new hardware and digital content to improve students’ academic achievement.

In addition, the Discovery Education Community will also support U-46 educators in transforming student learning experiences with digital media. A global community of education professionals, the Discovery Education Community connects members across school systems and around the world through social media, virtual conferences, and in-person events, fostering valuable networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.

“Discovery Education is honored to work alongside District U-46’s educators in their effort to create inclusive digital learning environments for all students,” said Emily Keith, Educational Partnerships Manager at Discovery Education. “We look forward to collaborating with teachers and administrators on our joint mission to prepare every student for future success.”

For more information about Discovery Education’s Digital Techbooks, professional development services, and more, visit www.discoveryeducation.com, and stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, follow us on Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or find us on Instagram and Pinterest.

Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional development, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.