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Overland Trail Middle School  ('22-24)

Overland Trail MS

Over the last 2.5 years of working with Cignition, we have had students show significant increases in the mastery of the standards that are a focus for instruction. We continuously look forward to seeing the growth in students over time and working within the classroom with staff and students to push students to own their learning and see themselves as mathematicians.

Christy Meredith
Assistant Principal

  • 52.6% of students met the academic growth goal in 2023-24, compared to just 18.4% in 2022-23— nearly a threefold increase in success rates.

  • Average student attendance improved from 52.5% to 85.0%, with 87.7% meeting or exceeding the attendance goal.

  • Students received an average of 18.4 tutoring hours in 2023-24, nearly double the 9.6-hour average from the previous year, leading to stronger engagement and academic progress.

From a Small Pilot to a Scalable Model

What started as a small tutoring initiative at Overland Trail Middle School (OTMS) in 2022-23 has grown into a critical intervention strategy within Brighton 27J Schools. Initially serving just 49 students, the program tripled in its second year, with 154 students enrolled in 2023-24. This expansion was not just about increasing enrollment; it also focused on refining the model, enhancing student engagement, and improving instructional impact.

Unlike traditional after-school tutoring programs, OTMS embedded high-dosage tutoring directly into the school day, ensuring students had consistent, structured support within their regular academic routine. The program operated within the Advanced Period, a dedicated time block where students could receive additional support without missing core instruction. This strategic integration helped establish tutoring as a foundational component of student learning rather than an add-on or remedial measure.

Overland Trail Middle School Program (2022 - 24) | Chart 1 | FY25

The Attendance Breakthrough: More Time, More Learning

In its first year, attendance was a major challenge. With an average attendance rate of just 52.5%, many students missed nearly half of their scheduled tutoring sessions. The second year, however, told a different story: 85.0% attendance, with almost 9 out of 10 students meeting the attendance benchmark of 70% or higher.

What Changed?

  • Earlier Program Launch: Students started receiving tutoring in September rather than mid-year, allowing for greater consistency.
  • Stronger Teacher Collaboration: Educators reinforced tutoring as part of classroom learning, making students more accountable.
  • A Cultural Shift: As students saw their peers attending and improving, participation became an expectation rather than an option.
Increased attendance resulted in nearly twice as much instructional time, which had a direct impact on student achievement.
Overland Trail Middle School Program (2022 - 24) | Chart 2 | FY25

A Dramatic Shift in Academic Growth

The impact of these adjustments became apparent when looking at student achievement data. In 2022-23, only 18.4% of students met the academic growth goal, a benchmark that required students to demonstrate a 33% increase in mastery across multiple math standards. By 2023-24, that number skyrocketed to 52.6%.

Students who reached this growth target weren’t just catching up—they were outpacing typical learning trajectories and gaining skills that would carry them into future coursework. This progress was particularly notable among students who began at the "Emerging" or "Partially Proficient" level, as they showed the highest rate of improvement.

Overland Trail Middle School Program (2022 - 24) | Chart 3 | FY25
Unlike year one, where progress was inconsistent due to limited instructional time, year two students benefited from nearly double the tutoring hours, leading to deeper conceptual understanding and retention.

Tutoring Time Matters: The Role of Instructional Hours

One of the most critical factors behind student growth was total instructional time. Because tutoring started late in 2022-23, students received an average of only 9.6 hours of instruction that year. In 2023-24, however, students had 18.4 hours of tutoring—a nearly 100% increase in targeted math support.

This additional time allowed tutors to:

  • Reinforce key concepts through repeated exposure.
  • Provide individualized feedback, adapting to instruction based on real-time performance data.
  • Foster student confidence, helping learners move from memorization to true mastery.

The connection between learning time and academic growth was undeniable. Students who attended more sessions and accumulated more instructional hours consistently showed the highest gains.

Overland Trail Middle School Program (2022 - 24) | Chart 4 | FY25

Beyond the Numbers: What's Next for Overland Trail

While the data speaks for itself, the real success of Overland Trail’s tutoring program is in the current sustainability and long-term planning. School leaders are looking to expand the program further, ensuring that even more students can access consistent, high-impact tutoring.

Key priorities for the next phase include:

  • Personalizing instruction even further by integrating additional diagnostic tools.
  • Exploring expansion to new grade levels to provide continuity in math intervention
  • Studying long-term retention rates to track student performance beyond middle school.

Overland Trail’s multi-year tutoring initiative provides a blueprint for how structured, data-driven interventions can drive both short-term gains and long-term student success.

Download the complete data summary below for a detailed breakdown of student progress, attendance trends, and instructional insights.

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