New York Public Schools Selects FreshGrade for Student Digital Portfolio Short-Cycle Pilot

KELOWNA, British Columbia, Sept. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- After a formal review process, the New York Department of Education's iZone has selected leading education technology company, FreshGrade, to evaluate personalized digital portfolios. The project kicks off on September 10^th and is being led by Bronx International High School. Following the short-cycle pilot, iZone will complete their final review and evaluation. If successful, FreshGrade could be made available for wider adoption.

Bronx International High School is one of the most unique schools in the nation, with a student population of approximately 320 students, from grades 9 – 12, many of whom are English language learners and have been in the U.S. fewer than 4 years.

"A student's learning journey requires continuous support and resources, even in the most prosperous of situations," says FreshGrade President & COO, Chris Besse. "The added challenges of entering a new culture and working through language barriers, makes the need for visibility and engagement in the learning process that much more important. We're thrilled to be working with the Bronx International High School to support teachers in improving outcomes for these students."

Core to FreshGrade's growing success is its approach. The platform acts as a connection point to support teachers, engage parents and empower students to bring more visibility and real-time interaction to the process of learning. The learning evidence can be collected by the teacher and/or self-documented by the student, which is then automatically visualized through attractive digital portfolios that are personalized for each student.

The platform allows teachers to capture, document and communicate learning in a meaningful and personalized manner.  It removes the subjectivity associated with traditional student assessments because, by documenting the captured learning in a digital portfolio, there is tangible proof of the learning journey that can be revisited over the course of the school year.

With FreshGrade, the student is at the center of the learning, and through the dedicated student app, students are given access to view and contribute to their portfolios. Teachers have the ability to empower their students to have a voice in their learning and be accountable to their learning goals. Students can document their own learning, make self-reflections, upload assignments and receive personalized feedback from their teachers and/or parents.

FreshGrade was recently featured by Apple Education and is the technology behind the transformative assessment initiative that received the coveted 2015 ISTE Sylvia Charp award. The company is quickly cementing itself in classrooms across Canada, the US and Australia, as the accessible, smart solution that seamlessly integrates digital portfolios with formative assessment.

About FreshGrade
FreshGrade was founded in 2011 by Lane Merrifield, Steve Wandler and Mark Payne, and is headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia. Designed in collaboration with teachers and parents, FreshGrade is opening a window into the classroom – supporting teachers, empowering students and engaging parents. Learn more at www.freshgrade.com or follow FreshGrade on Twitter at @FreshGrade.

SOURCE FreshGrade

Related Links

http://www.freshgrade.com