Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Hope Lewis, Michigan Director for Sumdog based out of Washington DC.
This interview is to find out more about Sumdog, a personalized math and spelling practice game for K-8 students has announced it is launching a new pilot program in Michigan, called the Digital Equity Solution.

Aimed at narrowing the achievement gap, the game will be provided entirely free of charge during school time for all Michigan students. It will also be completely free at all hours for Michigan families who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

To hear Hope and Jeffrey's conversation, click play on the podcast shared below:

The interview covers topics including:

• Sumdog is a math and spelling practice app for K-8 students. It's personalized, so each child works at the level that keeps them motivated. Teachers can also set work in the curriculum area they are currently teaching - whether at school or at home.
• Sumdog is launching a new digital equity solution in Michigan aimed at narrowing the achievement gap.
• The new digital equity solution provides the Sumdog program entirely free of charge during school time for all Michigan students. It will also be completely free at all hours for low-income families in Michigan.
• Teachers can assign homework for all students on all topics. Families with mid to high income (those who don’t qualify for free or reduced lunch) will be restricted to a smaller variety of games outside of school hours unless they pay a monthly subscription fee. However, every game can deliver the whole curriculum, so this does not impact students’ ability to complete the assignments.
• This novel digital equity plan will initially run through July 31. If successful, Sumdog aims to extend indefinitely and roll it out across the country.

Here's further information from the company:

Math and Spelling Practice App Launches Free Pilot for Schools in Michigan

Sumdog is a spelling and math practice app for students in grades K-8

DETROIT, April 2021 – Sumdog, a personalized math and spelling practice game for K-8 students, has announced it is launching a new pilot program in Michigan, called the Digital Equity Solution. Aimed at narrowing the achievement gap, the game will be provided entirely free of charge during school time for all Michigan students. It will also be completely free at all hours for Michigan families who qualify for free or reduced lunch.

The achievement gap has grown significantly during the pandemic across all grade levels, with many students falling behind. The Sumdog app allows students to work at their own pace, giving them the confidence to make progress and improve.

“Our goal is to help every child reach their full potential,” said Sumdog CEO Andrew Hall. “Bringing the Digital Equity Solution to Michigan will help break down barriers for all students, especially those who haven’t always found learning easy. Our hope is that this pilot program will be successful in Michigan, allowing us to expand the option to students across the country.”

Many Michigan schools are already using Sumdog in their classrooms, from Grand Rapids to Detroit and Traverse City. Nationwide, Sumdog is used in 10,000 schools. Under the Digital Equity Plan, families with mid to high income (those who don’t qualify for free or reduced lunch) will be restricted to a smaller variety of games outside of school hours, unless they pay a monthly subscription fee. However, every game can deliver the whole curriculum, so students’ ability to complete assignments will not be affected at any plan level.

Recent research shows that students that used Sumdog for 30 minutes a week made almost double the growth in math compared to non-regular users. Additionally, 77% of teachers noted an increase in students’ engagement in math after starting to use Sumdog.

Sumdog has a library of multi-player games to motivate students. It's personalized, so each child works at the level that keeps them motivated. Teachers can also assign work in the curriculum area they are currently teaching - whether at school or at home.

To celebrate the launch of the program, Sumdog also hosted a statewide math contest on the app from April 16-22. The contest encourages students to compete against other classes and schools throughout the state.

To learn more about Sumdog and the Michigan Digital Equity Solution, visit: https://www.sumdog.com/

About Sumdog
Launched in 2010, Sumdog is a personalized math and spelling practice game for K-8 students. The adaptive learning game teaches content aligned to all major curricula for ages 5 to 14, or grades K-8. Sumdog complements teacher-led lessons or instruction to reinforce learning or offer extra support at school or home.