Research-Driven Approach

At Age of Learning, we take a research-driven approach to developing our programs. Rigorous research studies involving more than 125,000 children globally have demonstrated that our programs help children make significant gains in early literacy and math skills and improve their confidence as learners.

If you have questions about our research, please contact: Efficacy.Research@AofL.com

Evidence-Based Math and Reading Programs

Our mastery-based programs have been certified as meeting the rigorous standards set by the U.S. Department of Education’s Every Student Succeeds Acts (ESSA) and have been published in leading peer-reviewed academic journals.

Research

| Math

Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students who used My Math Academy experienced 36 percent greater gains in math in comparison to their peers who did not use the program

My Math Academy Significantly Accelerates Early Math Learning and Engages Children in Learning Math

Key Highlights:

With five hours of total usage over a 12–14 week period, My Math Academy accelerated pre-k and kindergarten math learning gains by 36%.

Teachers found that students enjoyed using My Math Academy and that it had a meaningful impact on their interest and self-confidence in learning math.

The more students used My Math Academy, the greater their learning gains.

The greatest impacts were found on the most difficult math skills.

Teachers recognized the value of My Math Academy for personalizing learning and advocated for continued use.

Report Type: Journal Article, Research Brief
Grade Level: TK, Kindergarten
Region: West, California
Demographics: Large City; Title I schools; 76% Hispanic, 22% African American, 100% eligible for free/reduced-price lunch
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2017

Among 1st graders, 69% reached 2nd grade equivalency by using the program 9.3 hours on average across 15 weeks. Students who used My Math Academy ended the school year scoring as well as a typical student in the 4th month of 2nd grade, and approximately three months ahead of their peers who did not use the program.

Virtual school implementation of My Math Academy empowered teachers and promoted substantial growth in students’ math skills

Key Highlights:

First and 2nd grade students using My Math Academy for an average of 9.3 hours over 15 weeks reached levels equivalent to the next grade in math as measured by the state-administered Star Math assessment.

All educators reported wanting to continue using My Math Academy as a resource to support their instruction and indicated that the programs had a positive impact on their students’ enjoyment in learning math.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: 1st-2nd
Region: Oklahoma County
Demographics: Large City; 51% White, 14% Hispanic, 8% Black; Virtual Charter
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2022–2023

My Math Academy and My Reading Academy are shown to be effective in supporting young learners and their educators in diverse early childcare centers

Palm Beach County Pre-K Students Experience Significant Growth

Key Highlights:

Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy helped close the gap between research sites and non-research sites by 84%.

All educators indicated that they would “definitely” like to continue using the programs.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Voluntary pre-K (VPK)
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida
Demographics: Large Suburb; 53% White, 23% Hispanic, 18% African American
Subject: Math, Reading
Study Year: Spring 2023

A significant positive effect of using My Math Academy was observed for students who scored below 50% on the NWEA MAP benchmark assessment in the fall. For each learning unit these students mastered on My Math Academy, they experienced an increase of 0.14 points on the assessment.

My Math Academy Significantly Increases Math Scores of Students with Individualized Education Plans

Key Highlights:

A sample of 92 2nd grade students who used My Math Academy in 2021– 2022 or 2022–23 had statistically significant greater growth in math from fall to spring on the NWEA MAP Growth assessments.

In 2021–2022 and 2022–2023, prekindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students (n = 335) with individualized education plans across three school districts in Texas and Oklahoma made meaningful progress in My Math Academy, mastering on average of 14 learning units over 6.4 hours.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: 2nd Grade
Region: Texas
Demographics: Small City; Title I Schools; 82% Hispanic
District: Harlingen ISD
Subject: Math
Study Year: 21-22 and 22-23

Across all grades, the percent of students who were on track in math / reading increased substantially by the end of the school year.

Students at Jefferson County Using My Math Academy Experienced Meaningful Gains in Math

Key Highlights:

Students using My Math Academy for 12 hours on average reached levels equivalent to the next grade in math as measured by the state-administered Star Math assessment.

Using My Math Academy was related to significant growth in students’ assessment scores.

Educators reported that My Math Academy had a positive impact on their students’ math skills, confidence, and enjoyment in learning math and wanted to continue using the programs.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
Region: Jefferson County, Florida
Demographics: Rural, 60% White; 33% African American
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2023

Among Head Start and pre-K students, those who used Age of Learning programs more were more likely to end the school year on track in math and reading

Head Start and Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy Experience Significant Gains in Math and Reading Skills

Key Highlights:

In a district where more than 63% of students were identified as being at risk, 96% of Head Start and pre-K students who used My Math Academy for at least 30 minutes a week ended the school year “On Track” in math on the state-administered standardized assessment.

Eighty-six percent of Head Start and pre-K students who used My Reading Academy for at least 30 minutes a week ended the school year “On Track” on the critical skill of Phonological Awareness on the state-administered standardized assessment.

Teachers indicated that My Math Academy and My Reading Academy helped their students become more engaged and confident about learning. They also found the programs to be valuable resources that empowered them to provide personalized learning opportunities for students with diverse needs.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Head Start, Pre-K
Region: Tyler, Texas
Demographics: Mid size City; 85% Title I; 47% White, 27% Hispanic, 22% African American; 63% students at risk
Subject: Math, Reading
Study Year: 2021-2022

Kindergarten and 1st grade students who used My Math Academy significantly outperformed their control group peers, replicating results of an earlier randomized control trial

Replication of a Randomized Control Trial Shows that My Math Academy Accelerates Early Math Learning and Fosters Greater Engagement in Math

Key Highlights:

Kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders using My Math Academy made significant learning gains in math, replicating the findings of a randomized control trial on an earlier version of the program.

Teachers reported that in comparison to other educational technology, My Math Academy had a significantly positive impact on student learning, indicating that students who used My Math Academy were more engaged, motivated, and confident in learning math.

The more skills students mastered in My Math Academy, the greater the learning gains they experienced.

Greatest impacts were found where there was more room for growth: (a) among students with lower levels of math knowledge and (b) on the most difficult skills.

Teachers found My Math Academy easy to use in their classrooms and recognized it as a valuable learning resource for students.

Report Type: Journal Article, Research Brief
Grade Level: Kindergarten, 1st grade
Region: West, California
Demographics: Mid size City, Large City; 78-96% Hispanic; 70-90% eligible for free/reduced-price lunch
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2019

Nearly all students who used My Math Academy regularly ended the school year on track in math on the state-administered assessment

Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy Significantly Improved Their School Readiness

Key Highlights:

In a school year disrupted by the pandemic, 98 percent of pre-K students in a Title I school district who used My Math Academy regularly ended the school year “On Track” in math on the state-administered assessment.

Students who used My Math Academy were significantly more likely to end the school year “On Track” in math on the state-administered assessment than their peers who did not use the program.

Mastering skills in My Math Academy was significantly correlated with higher performance on the end of year stateadministered assessment.

The study results confirm those of earlier studies in which close to 100 percent of the teachers reported that My Math Academy had a positive impact on students’ interest, confidence, and enjoyment in learning math.

Report Type: Research Report
Grade Level: Pre-K
Region: Southwest, Texas
Demographics: Small City; Title I Schools; 82% Hispanic
District: Harlingen ISD
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2020-2021

Students who used My Math Academy experienced two- to threefold increase in their math knowledge

My Math Academy Empowers Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers to Accelerate Learning

Key Highlights:

The more skills students mastered in My Math Academy, the greater the learning gains they experienced.

Teachers found My Math Academy easy to use in their classrooms and recognized it as a valuable learning resource for students.

Report Type: Research Report
Grade Level: Pre-K
Region: Southwest, Texas
District: Harlingen ISD
Demographics: Small City; Title I Schools; 82% Hispanic
Subject: Math
Study Year: 2020-21

Research

| Reading

Students who used My Reading Academy with fidelity scored on average 45 percent higher on the spring Star Early Literacy^TMassessment relative to their matched comparison peers not using the program.

My Reading Academy Significantly Boosts Learning Gains and Kindergarten Readiness for Pre-K Students Across Palm Beach County

Key Highlights:

Students who used My Reading Academy made a monthly average growth of 16.3 points on the Star Early Literacy assessment, well above the monthly benchmark of 12 points of growth, and 37 percent greater growth in comparison to their matched peers not using the program.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Pre-K
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida
Demographics: Large Suburb; 53% White, 23% Hispanic, 18% African American
Subject: Reading
Study Year: 2023-2024

Among 1st graders, 51% reached 2nd grade equivalency by using My Reading Academy for an average of 17 hours across 19 weeks. First grade students who used My Reading Academy ended the school year scoring as well as a typical 2nd grade student at the start of the school year, and approximately four months ahead of their peers who did not use the program.

Virtual school implementation of My Reading Academy empowered teachers and promoted substantial growth in students’ reading skills

Key Highlights:

All educators reported wanting to continue using My Reading Academy as a resource to support their instruction and indicated that the program had a positive impact on their students’ enjoyment in learning reading.

Using My Reading Academy was especially beneficial for kindergartners who started out with lower baseline literacy skills.

Among prekindergarteners (n = 473, 4 districts) who mastered at least half of the Alphabet Knowledge content in My Reading Academy, 95% ended the school year “On Track” compared to only 81% of those who did not have access to the program.

Teachers found that My Reading Academy had a positive impact on specific literacy skills, such as phonological awareness. They advocated for the continued use of the user-friendly, personalized learning program in their classrooms.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Pre-K, K, 1st
Region:Oklahoma
Demographics: Large City; 51% White, 14% Hispanic, 8% Black; Virtual Charter
Subject: Reading
Study Year: 2022–2023

Kindergarteners who used My Reading Academy significantly outperformed their comparison group peers on Alphabet Knowledge

Students Using My Reading Academy Significantly Outperform Peers on State-Administered Literacy Assessments

Key Highlights:

In a large-scale study, kindergartners who used My Reading Academy significantly outperformed peers on end-of-year literacy assessments, with greater gains among students who used the program more.

Using My Reading Academy was especially beneficial for kindergartners who started out with lower baseline literacy skills.

My Math Academy and My Reading Academy are shown to be effective in supporting young learners and their educators in diverse early childcare centers

Palm Beach County Pre-K Students Experience Significant Growth

Key Highlights:

Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy helped close the gap between research sites and non-research sites by 84%.

All educators indicated that they would “definitely” like to continue using the programs.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Voluntary pre-K (VPK)
Region: Palm Beach County, Florida
Demographics: Large Suburb; 53% White, 23% Hispanic, 18% African American
Subject: Math, Reading
Study Year: Spring 2023

Across all grades, the percent of students who were on track in math / reading increased substantially by the end of the school year.

Students at Jefferson County Using My Reading Academy Experienced Meaningful Gains in Reading

Key Highlights:

Students using My Reading Academy for 14 hours on average reached levels equivalent to the next grade in reading as measured by the state-administered Star Early Literacy assessment.

Using My Reading Academy was related to significant growth in students’ assessment scores.

Educators reported that My Reading Academy had a positive impact on their students’ reading skills, confidence and enjoyment in learning reading and wanted to continue using the programs.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
Region: Jefferson County, Florida
Demographics: Rural, 60% White; 33% African American
Subject: Reading
Study Year: 2023

Among Head Start and pre-K students, those who used Age of Learning programs more were more likely to end the school year on track in math and reading

Head Start and Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy Experience Significant Gains in Math and Reading Skills

Key Highlights:

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Head Start, Pre-K
Region: Tyler, Texas
Demographics: Mid size City; 85% Title I; 47% White, 27% Hispanic, 22% African American; 63% students at risk
Subject: Math, Reading
Study Year: 2021-2022

Kindergartners who used My Reading Academy more than doubled their reading skills in the program

My Reading Academy Helps Students Strengthen Early Reading Skills

Key Highlights:

In a school year disrupted by the pandemic, prekindergarten students nearly tripled and kindergarten students more than doubled their reading skills in My Reading Academy by using the program for 6 hours over 10–12 weeks.

Using My Reading Academy helped prekindergarten and kindergarten students perform better on their end-of-year literacy assessments.

Teachers reported that students using My Reading Academy were excited about reading and became more confident, interested, and focused on learning to read.

Teachers found My Reading Academy easy to use for students and easy to implement in classrooms; they expressed their desire to continue using the program.

Teachers found My Reading Academy to be a resource that allowed them to provide individualized, differentiated instruction.

Report Type: Research Brief
Grade Level: Pre-K, Kindergarten
Region: Southwest, Texas
Demographics: Small City; Title I Schools; 82% Hispanic
Subject: Reading
Study Year: Spring 2021

Research

| ABCmouse

Regular, consistent ABCmouse usage helped children across all skill levels.

Promising Evidence of ABCmouse Closing the Achievement Gap and Minimizing Summer Learning Loss:

Key Highlights

Based on a sample of more than 14,000 children ages 2–8, using ABCmouse for at least 45 minutes and completing 15 Learning Activities across three separate days per week can increase learning and minimize summer learning loss.

Children who use ABCmouse more— whether by completing structured lessons or unstructured free play activities—show greater learning gains.

Regular ABCmouse usage can help children of all skill levels, particularly those who start the summer with lower skills, catch up to higherskilled peers by summer’s end, closing the gap by up to 87 percent.

More than 80 percent of parents reported that, since using ABCmouse, their children were more motivated to learn and were more independent in completing Learning Activities.

Children who used ABCmouse regularly showed significant gains over the summer compared to the control group, approximating the benefits of one month of academic instruction.

Regular ABCmouse Usage Prevents Summer Slide for Rising First Graders

Key Highlights:

ABCmouse helped prevent summer slide in reading for rising first graders with regular usage compared to the control group.

The more children used ABCmouse over the summer, the greater their learning gains.

ABCmouse's positive impact on reading scores was sustained through the following winter.

A large majority of parents reported that ABCmouse had a meaningful impact on their children's learning and that they supported the use of ABmouse in first grade.

Children who used ABCmouse showed 25% higher growth on the DIBELS Literacy Composite than children in the control group.

ABCmouse Use at Home Accelerates Kindergarteners’ Academic Growth— A Randomized Controlled Trial

Key Findings:

Children who used ABCmouse achieved significantly greater gains on key early literacy skills than children who did not use the program.

ABCmouse particularly helped lower-performing children improve their literacy and math skills.

The gains from using ABCmouse were even greater for children who scored below the sample median at pre-test: 33% higher in literacy skills (p < .05, d = .38) and 48% higher in math skills (p = .01, d = .49) compared to similarly scoring peers in the Control group. These findings are especially notable because the intervention occurred at home rather than in a classroom setting and was of a relatively short duration (13 weeks).

Children who completed more ABCmouse learning activities achieved significantly higher kindergarten readiness score at the end of prekindergarten.

Improving Outcomes for At-Risk Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Students with a Digital Learning Resource

Abstract:

The more ABCmouse learning activities a student completed, the greater his or her kindergarten readiness score at the end of prekindergarten, indicating a reduction in the level of risk for school failure.

Regular ABCmouse usage in kindergarten helped to accelerate students’ learning gains in literacy and mathematics skills on multiple assessments.

Students who began kindergarten at a lower readiness level were able to catch up to their peers through regular usage of ABCmouse.

The more ABCmouse learning activities students complete in prekindergarten and kindergarten, the greater their literacy and math outcomes at the end of kindergarten.

Research-Driven Approach

Evidence-Based Math and Reading Programs

Research

| Math

My Math Academy Significantly Accelerates Early Math Learning and Engages Children in Learning Math

Virtual school implementation of My Math Academy empowered teachers and promoted substantial growth in students’ math skills

Palm Beach County Pre-K Students Experience Significant Growth

My Math Academy Significantly Increases Math Scores of Students with Individualized Education Plans

Students at Jefferson County Using My Math Academy Experienced Meaningful Gains in Math

Head Start and Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy Experience Significant Gains in Math and Reading Skills

Replication of a Randomized Control Trial Shows that My Math Academy Accelerates Early Math Learning and Fosters Greater Engagement in Math

Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy Significantly Improved Their School Readiness

My Math Academy Empowers Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers to Accelerate Learning

Research

| Reading

My Reading Academy Significantly Boosts Learning Gains and Kindergarten Readiness for Pre-K Students Across Palm Beach County

Virtual school implementation of My Reading Academy empowered teachers and promoted substantial growth in students’ reading skills

Students Using My Reading Academy Significantly Outperform Peers on State-Administered Literacy Assessments

Palm Beach County Pre-K Students Experience Significant Growth

Students at Jefferson County Using My Reading Academy Experienced Meaningful Gains in Reading

Head Start and Pre-K Students Using My Math Academy and My Reading Academy Experience Significant Gains in Math and Reading Skills

My Reading Academy Helps Students Strengthen Early Reading Skills

Research

| ABCmouse

Promising Evidence of ABCmouse Closing the Achievement Gap and Minimizing Summer Learning Loss:

Regular ABCmouse Usage Prevents Summer Slide for Rising First Graders

ABCmouse Use at Home Accelerates Kindergarteners’ Academic Growth— A Randomized Controlled Trial

Improving Outcomes for At-Risk Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Students with a Digital Learning Resource

White Papers

Research-Based Product Design Process

My Reading Academy Logic Model

My Math Academy Logic Model

My Reading Academy Empowers and Engages Early Learners

My Reading Academy: Building the Foundations for Reading Success with Science of Reading-Aligned Solutions

Personalized Technology Drives Equitable Learning

Professional Development

How Intentional Design Builds Learner Identity

How the Science of Reading Elevates Our Early Learners to Success

Personalized Mastery Learning for Early Childhood Education

Mastery Teaching and Learning: Turn Math Gaps Into Math Gains for Summer Learning, Pre-K to 2nd Grade

Engaging Young Students to Accelerate Math Learning

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