Google Classroom Now Supports BrightFish Reading
Millions of students can access innovative online instruction from classroom portals
May 22, 2020, Chicago and Ottawa – BrightFish Learning today announced that Google Classroom rostering is now available for BrightFish Reading, the company’s online learning program. Millions of students from across North America and around the world use Google Classroom to access learning programs. The new integration with Google Classroom rostering ensures that school administrators can give their students seamless access to BrightFish Reading for in-school and distance learning.
“Making it fast and easy for schools to deliver research-based programs is critical for learning, especially during periods of closures and alternative scheduling,” says Sue Koch, president of BrightFish Learning. “We want to ensure that schools are able to accelerate the delivery of BrightFish Reading using their preferred rostering tools so that students and teachers can focus on the important work of improving reading performance.”
In addition to Google Classroom, BrightFish Reading is integrated with Clever for secure rostering. Schools can also enroll students directly on the BrightFish platform using on-board rostering tools.
BrightFish Reading can be purchased by school districts as an annual software subscription for grade 2 through high school. Free access programs are also available for trials and limited implementations. Learn more here.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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Over 50,000 Students Join BrightFish Reading
Educators and parents sign up for free access during closures
April 15, 2020, Chicago and Ottawa – BrightFish Learning today announced that more than 50,000 students have jumped on the BrightFish Reading platform since the company began offering free access in late March. Students from across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia are using the full BrightFish Reading program at no charge during COVID-19 closures. School districts that had already adopted BrightFish Reading have added thousands of free licenses to serve more students as part of their distance-learning strategy.
BrightFish Reading provides online, research-based instruction for below-level readers in grades 2 through high school. Students get scaffolded instruction in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension strategies while building independent reading skills. Mastery-based learning enables students to achieve gains in as little as 15 minutes a day. Teachers can monitor their students’ progress remotely and track areas of weakness for online remediation sessions.
BrightFish Reading is available for free until June 15, 2020.
Educators can sign up for school access on the BrightFish Learning website.
Parents can join here.
“BrightFish Reading is a great program and an awesome learning opportunity during a “normal” school year, but it is essential now that we are serving our students differently. I require data for 2020-2021 IEPs and this will be an additional source for which I am so thankful!”
– Barbara McBride, special education teacher, Crump Elementary School, AL
“I've signed up and my kids are loving BrightFish Reading! I can't get them off of it. Great development of reading skills from all angles. Thank you for offering it for free during this challenging time!” – Amy Meloche, parent, Ottawa, ON
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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BrightFish Learning Launches New Platform Strategy
Google Classroom and ClassLink bring BrightFish Reading to 1000s of schools
January 10, 2020, Chicago and Ottawa – BrightFish Learning today announced a new platform distribution strategy that will bring BrightFish Reading to thousands of K-12 districts across North America. Building on the Clever certification launched in August 2019, the company is integrating BrightFish Reading online instruction with widely used platforms in K-12, including the Google Classroom learning management system (LMS) and ClassLink for single sign-on.
“Our foundational goal is to make it fast and easy for schools to use BrightFish Reading,” says Ravi Ramsaran, Chief Technology Officer of BrightFish Learning. “By offering our program through the leading platforms in K-12 districts, we can ensure that more students get access to BrightFish Reading and start making gains. At the same time, IT departments can be assured that our software is centrally managed in a secure online environment.”
ClassLink is a single sign-on platform that organizes applications and files in one place for access on any device. Google Classroom is a cloud-based LMS that is used for course management and collaboration.
BrightFish Reading can be purchased by school districts as an annual software subscription for grade 2 through high school.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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South Carolina Selects BrightFish Reading for Statewide Adoption
Approved supplemental instruction for high school credentials through 2027
October 31, 2019, Chicago – BrightFish Learning today announced that South Carolina has adopted BrightFish Reading as an approved Supplemental Instructional Material for High School Credentials. The seven-year contract runs from October 2019 to May 2027 and will enable high school students across the state to use BrightFish Reading to improve their reading proficiency and earn high school credentials in English I-II. BrightFish Reading is a research-based, scaffolded reading program that enables senior-level students to make significant gains through a mastery-based learning model, engaging content and gamification techniques.
“We’re excited to bring the BrightFish Reading instructional approach to South Carolina high schools,” says Marc Feagan, CEO of BrightFish Learning. “We know that students who struggle with reading at the high school level have unique barriers to overcome. Our approach will enable these students to build the confidence and skills that will help them achieve success in high school credentials courses.”
As part of the South Carolina state adoption, school districts can purchase BrightFish Reading and teacher professional development services under the contract terms.
BrightFish Reading is available as an annual subscription for K12 schools and districts in the U.S. and Canada. Students from grade 2 through high school use BrightFish Reading to improve their skills in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to become independent readers.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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BrightFish Learning Announces Clever Certification
Partnership brings secure rostering and single sign-on to Hillsborough County Public Schools
August 13, 2019, Chicago and Ottawa – BrightFish Learning LLC today announced that it has successfully completed Clever District Certification for Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) in Tampa, FL. The certification ensures that HCPS teachers and students can enjoy the convenience of single sign-on and automatic rostering for BrightFish Reading through a secure, resilient, and scalable platform. As a certified application partner, BrightFish Learning gains access to the thousands of districts nationwide that are using Clever to manage their online learning resources.
“We are excited to provide HCPS with the seamless experience of single sign-on and secure rostering using an industry-leading platform,” says Sue Koch, President and COO of BrightFish Learning. “The partnership reflects our commitment to better serve our customers by collaborating with the most innovative and recognized technology providers in K-12 education.”
“Hillsborough County Public Schools is a great Clever partner and we are excited to now welcome BrightFish Learning to the Clever platform so students and teachers both at HCPS and across the country can benefit from seamless and secure access to BrightFish reading programs,” says Kristine Welsh-Loveman, Clever Implementation Specialist for Hillsborough County Public Schools.
HCPS middle and high schools are using BrightFish Reading as part of the district-wide initiative to boost independent reading skills in FSA Level 1 students.
BrightFish Reading can be purchased by school districts as an annual software subscription for grades 2 through high school.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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Hillsborough County Public Schools Selects BrightFish Reading for Grades 6-10
September 20, 2018, Chicago and Tampa, FL – BrightFish Learning, a leading provider of online reading intervention tools, today announced that Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, FL, has adopted BrightFish Reading for use by students scoring at level 1 on the FSA ELA State Assessment in grades 6 through 10 at all middle and high schools. BrightFish Reading is a research-based program that will be used as an individualized reading intervention to help students improve their fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills.
“BrightFish Learning is the perfect supplemental instructional resource for providing the necessary reading instruction based on student's individual needs,” says Lory Reddel, Middle and Secondary Reading Supervisor at Hillsborough County Public Schools. “At middle and high school, we have students who have been struggling readers throughout their academic career. BrightFish provides age-appropriate personalized instruction focusing on foundational skills and building up to comprehension skills. We are excited to realize the potential of our students through the utilization of BrightFish.”
“We’re thrilled to work with Hillsborough County Public Schools and their talented instructional team to implement BrightFish Reading district-wide this year,” says Marc Feagan, CEO of BrightFish Learning. “We share a common goal to help struggling learners develop their skills, confidence and engagement in grade-level reading to achieve academic success.”
Hillsborough middle and high schools will use BrightFish Reading during the 2018-19 school year as part of their comprehensive reading and English Language Arts programs.
BrightFish Reading can be purchased by school districts as an annual software subscription for grades 2 through high school.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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BrightFish Expands with Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary
Chicago and Ottawa, August 24, 2018 – BrightFish Learning, publisher of reading intervention and assessment tools, today announced integration with Merriam-Webster's online dictionary engine to help struggling readers in grades 2-8 develop their vocabulary skills. The highly respected online dictionary brings the expertise of a large team of editors and writers, along with the company’s trusted pedigree from more than 150 years as a leading provider of language information.
“Below-level readers typically have underdeveloped word knowledge, which compounds their difficulties in both vocabulary and comprehension,” says Ravi Ramsaran, VP of product development for BrightFish Learning. “Merriam-Webster’s online dictionaries provide essential grade-appropriate support in BrightFish Reading, giving our students access to the best tools to develop and expand their vocabulary skills.”
Students in grades 2-5 can use Merriam-Webster’s Elementary Dictionary for assistance with synonym/antonym graphic organizers and word usage activities. Read-aloud options provide modeled fluent readings of the words and their definitions. Middle school students will be able to draw on grade-appropriate definitions from the Intermediate Dictionary for word usage activities in vocabulary and comprehension.
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary is available for BrightFish Reading as part of the standard subscription license.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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New High School Content for Struggling Readers
Chicago and Ottawa, August 3, 2018 – BrightFish Learning, publisher of online intervention and assessment tools, today announced expanded content for struggling learners in high school. The new content in BrightFish Reading provides a wider range of fiction and nonfiction content to engage older readers. High school students will also be able to challenge themselves on longer passages and increasingly difficult comprehension questions to apply the skills they've learned in BrightFish.
"The ultimate goal of BrightFish Reading is to help students strengthen their reading skills to tackle content at higher levels," says Sue Koch, VP of Education Services at BrightFish Learning. "The expanded content and increasingly challenging activities enable students to build their confidence and develop strategies for success in high school reading."
The new content set includes nonfiction science topics, biographies and book reviews, as well as a range of fiction genres.
About BrightFish Learning
Based in Chicago and Ottawa, BrightFish Learning LLC is an international company focused on creating innovative instructional and assessment tools that help educators and students achieve learning goals. Our flagship product, BrightFish Reading®, enables struggling readers to practice grade-level reading on any device while building fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills aligned to standards. Affordable licensing options, flexible implementation and comprehensive teacher support make BrightFish solutions easy to adopt for a few students to thousands district-wide. old.brightfishlearning.com
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BrightFish Launches New Literacy@theLibrary Program
Chicago and Ottawa, April 18, 2018 – BrightFish Learning, publisher of online intervention and assessment tools, today announced a new Literacy@theLibrary grant program that enables public libraries to offer BrightFish Reading to their members. The grant gives qualifying libraries the chance to expand their services to help struggling readers, English learners and adults upgrade their literacy skills. BrightFish Reading is designed for age 7 to adults and builds fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills.
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Adaptive Cloze Tests Target Reading Levels
Chicago and Ottawa, March 23, 2018 – BrightFish Learning, publisher of online intervention and assessment tools, today announced the availability of adaptive Cloze tests designed to accurately pinpoint each student's reading range. The new test package for BrightFish Reading presents multiple passages aligned to Lexile® measures to determine the reading level for each student. The Cloze test is a research-validated indicator of reading comprehension for students in grades 2-10.
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BrightFish Reading Now Available on Amazon
Chicago, March 6, 2018 – BrightFish Learning today announced the launch of BrightFish Reading on the Amazon Digital Services platform, a leading online marketplace accessible by millions in the Amazon community. The launch significantly increases the availability of BrightFish Reading to classroom teachers and parents seeking research-based instructional software for small classes and individual home use. BrightFish Reading offers a fresh approach to reading intervention, engaging struggling learners through on-level text and a unique deconstruction process that builds fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills to improve reading proficiency.
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BrightFish Learning Becomes Certified Lexile® Partner
Unique reading process breaks down grade-level content aligned to Lexile® measures
Biloxi, MS, MASSP Conference, June 15, 2017 – BrightFish Learning today announced the release of certified Lexile® measures for BrightFish Reading content. BrightFish Reading® employs a unique deconstruction process that lets struggling readers use on-level text to build fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Aligning BrightFish content to The Lexile® Framework for Reading provides educators with the industry standard measure for text complexity and reading progress.
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BrightFish Learning Named SIIA CODiE Award Finalist
for Best Reading/ELA Instructional Solution
BrightFish Reading earns prestigious industry recognition for innovative software
Chicago, June 13, 2017 – BrightFish Learning, publisher of online instructional and assessment tools, today announced that BrightFish Reading has been shortlisted as a 2017 SIIA CODiE award finalist in the Best Reading/English/Language Arts Instructional Solution category. Finalists represent applications, products and services from developers of educational software, digital content, online learning services and related technologies across the PreK-20 sector.
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BrightFish Learning and Continental Press Partner for K-12
Introduce new reading practice software for struggling learners
May 24, Chicago and Elizabethtown, PA – BrightFish Learning, creators of student-centered tools to improve learning, and Continental Press, a leading publisher of K-12 instructional and assessment products, today announced a partnership to bring grade-level reading to struggling students in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The collaboration is part of a broader initiative to deliver online programs that motivate students to achieve in reading and mathematics.
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