The BookNook Philanthropic Mirror: Case Study
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the integration of technology in learning environments has opened new avenues for addressing persistent challenges in literacy and reading proficiency. One exemplary example is BookNook, an innovative online platform dedicated to enhancing reading skills among elementary and middle school students through their methodology grounded in the Science of Reading. BookNook stands out for its data-driven approach, engaging content, and remarkable adaptability across various learning settings. We invested in BookNook’s Series B in 2022 and were excited about the company’s focus on high-impact tutoring to drive real results across our school systems in the US - because we know teaching reading the wrong way leads to poor outcomes.
At Rise Together Ventures (RTV), we also believe in the power of philanthropy to drive social change through a unique hybrid venture-philanthropy structure. Philanthropy has historically been a wonderful source of funds to drive important research, and education is an arena that deserves continued data-driven research to hone in on the most effective teaching methods.
Thus, in addition to our investment, we pledged to support a randomized control trial (RCT) with students from several Rocketship Schools to estimate the causal effect of BookNook’s high-impact tutoring model on student literacy achievement. Today, we're excited to share the remarkable outcomes of this study (press release here, full study by Teacher’s College, Columbia University here).
Study Highlights: A Leap Forward in Literacy
BookNook conducted a rigorous 10-week randomized control trial in Rocketship Public Schools in Northern California involving 1,777 students from grades 1 to 4. Rocketship Schools, known for their dedication to excellence in education and innovation, provided an ideal setting for a comprehensive evaluation, taking into account diverse learning environments and student demographics. Here are the key takeaways:
Achieving Tier 1 ESSA Status: One of the most significant achievements highlighted by the study is BookNook's classification as a Tier 1 intervention under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) framework. This distinction indicates that the program meets the highest standards of evidence for its effectiveness in improving educational outcomes. This status is crucial for educational tools, as it validates their efficacy based on a rigorous, scientifically-based framework.
Statistical Significance in Reading Gains: The study revealed that students who engaged with BookNook for the recommended 20 or more sessions experienced statistically significant reading gains. This finding not only highlights the importance of consistent and frequent use of the platform but also demonstrates BookNook's capability to foster developmental advancements in literacy.
Wide Applicability Across Demographics: A crucial aspect of the study's findings is the platform's adaptability and effectiveness across diverse demographic groups. Regardless of varying backgrounds and learning needs, students across the board showed marked improvements, highlighting the platform's adaptability and versatility in addressing literacy gaps in different contexts.
Looking Ahead
The results of the study are an affirmation of RTV's innovative investment thesis that private companies can leverage philanthropic funds to drive social impact. The study not only highlights the efficacy of a specific and structured way of teaching children how to read, but will also be leveraged to inform best practices for intervention and high impact tutoring to help districts nationwide support students’ instructional needs in a post-pandemic educational context. Importantly, it sets a precedent for how public-private partnerships can enhance the availability of quality, data-driven research.
The findings from this study present an exciting opportunity to support broader, national conversations about the effectiveness of high impact tutoring for addressing unfinished learning and widening opportunity gaps. This is particularly important given the growing “learning gap” incurred as a result of COVID. Teachers College at Columbia University is working to publish it in a variety of academic journals to continue to share this important research.
For RTV, the journey with BookNook is a clear embodiment of our belief in the transformative power of strategic investments in driving social change. As we reflect on the success of this study, we are excited to support more private enterprises on their journeys to contribute to societal advancement by leveraging their unique superpowers.
Written in collaboration with our intern, Harshita.