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Renaissance (Wisconsin Rapids, WI) in June released Focus Skills to help educators identify and teach critical reading and math skills thought to have the
greatest impact on learning as teachers try to bring students up to speed following extended school closures.

Renaissance vice president and chief academic officer Gene Kerns told EER that for decades there have been complaints about too many standards; with
schools struggling and needing to prioritize their time, educators do not have time for standards that are secondary in nature.

Focus Skills have been inside the company’s software for some time, but now are available more widely and in public, he said. By prioritizing mastery of Focus Skills, educators can create a triage plan for their students this fall to bring them up to speed and help students develop the essential knowledge and skills to move to the next level.

Focus Skills, tailored for each state, give educators interactive visualizations for each state with the ability to drill down into specific skill details. An accompanying research brief explains the importance of Focus Skills and how they inform teachers as they decide how to best help students recover from learning disruptions.

Renaissance STAR assessment customers receive deeper insight and can link to resources, including from the company’s many partners, to address learning deficiencies.

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