Learning 2020's Acquisition of Penda Learning will Expand Access to High Quality Science and Math Content Proven to Close Gaps for Struggling Students and Accelerate Achievement for All Learners
LOVELAND, Colo., Nov. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Learning 2020, a newly formed K-12 edtech company focused on providing educators with advanced technology solutions that streamline assessment, instruction and intervention, recently acquired Penda Learning from Software Asset Management Learning UK (SAM Learning), a leading software company in the education sector in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The company will continue to operate as Penda Learning and to provide educators and students with interactive standards-based supplemental science and math content on its highly engaging gaming platform.
"We are excited to have Penda Learning be our first product offering," said Brad Baird, President of Learning 2020 and long-time education industry leader. "It's proven to make a difference in outcomes for students, particularly those struggling to master specific skills or concepts in science and math. It's also an invaluable resource for districts who have difficulty hiring qualified science and math teachers." Learning 2020 is in the process of developing new standards-based science aligned content in addition to enhancing Penda's existing activities. Investments will also be made in enhancing Penda's user interface and its unique Pacing Assisting Service that automatically assigns students weekly activities that are custom aligned to a district or school's curriculum, scope and sequence.
Penda Learning's game-based, standards-based science and math intervention resource helps students in grades four through 10 build their skills, close achievement gaps and have fun learning through the use of avatars and student-driven competition. Penda's short and engaging online activities supplement science and math instruction and support Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Based on a brain-researched pedagogy, the use of Penda has been shown in multiple studies in both the U.S. and U.K. to increase student mastery of science and math concepts and improve high-stakes assessment scores. An analysis by Miami-Dade County Public Schools of their 2018-19 Florida grade eight Statewide Science Assessment scores found that students who used Penda Learning's science platform for 10 or more hours scored on average 15 percentage points higher than non-users.
Duval County Public School (Florida) also used Penda Learning's science platform during the 2018-19 school year for science intervention in grades five and eight and in high school biology. Analysis of 20,157 students revealed that students who achieved mastery on 100 or more Penda science activities scored on average 20% higher on statewide and district assessments than students who did not achieve mastery.
According to Carlos Duran, Science Instructional Coach for Poinciana High School in Osceola County Public Schools (Florida), "Our biology end of course scores went up by four percentage points this year! Keep in mind that we had many challenges that other schools didn't have: 60% of our students in Biology I were at a level one and two, and 54% that tested had 10 or more absences. We put many strategies in place to address our student's needs, including Penda competitions and intentionally targeting our level one and two students using Penda classroom intervention groups."
About Learning 2020
Learning 2020 is dedicated to identifying pressing, unfilled needs within the K-12 education market and developing technology solutions that solve these challenges in innovative and cost effective ways that will positively impact teaching and learning. Formed in early 2019 by Brad Baird and Bill Tudor, experienced education technology entrepreneurs, Learning 2020 will focus first on expanding and enhancing Penda Learning's online science and math solution to offer educators more opportunities to provide students with high quality science and math instruction. Learn more at
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Press Contact:
Brad Baird
bbaird@pendalearning.com
970.371.2408
SOURCE Learning 2020
