Stepping Stones Research and Testimonials

Explore the Impact that Stepping Stones has made on Students Nationwide

Proven effective: Research shows that Stepping Stones produces improved student outcomes.
Trusted by Administrators and Teachers: Read our case studies and testimonials to see how Stepping Stones has impacted classrooms nationwide.
Top Rated by EdReports: Stepping Stones 2.0 meets expectations across all gateways in the EdReports Alignment and Usability Report.

Norton Public Schools

Norton Public Schools was searching for a curriculum that would align from elementary to middle to high school, meet their shared vision for mathematics instruction, center on recent research on how best to teach math, and earn an all green (highly effective) ratings from EdReports. Read more about why Norton selected Stepping Stones 2.0 and read testimonials from educators in Norton’s district.

Conestoga Valley School District

Hear from educators in Conestoga Valley School District, PA and how they have found success and a love of mathematics with Stepping Stones 2.0. Conestoga adopted Stepping Stones in 2022 and quickly found success. Principals are seeing high student engagement through discourse and hands on learning, teachers are appreciating the materials and resources as well as the choice in assessment and activities, and students are loving math this year.

Read more about Conestoga Valley School District

Stepping Stones Implementation Success Case Studies

Stepping Stones is a comprehensive elementary (K–6) mathematics program that makes learning mathematics meaningful, enjoyable, and accessible for all teachers and their students. The instructional approach builds on students’ natural ability to develop understanding and number sense, helps students avoid misconceptions, and promotes confidence with efficient thinking strategies. Fill out the form to download a case study about how three districts found success with the Stepping Stones Implementation Tool!

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Stepping Stones Implementation Outcomes White Paper

Stepping Stones provides a full suite of teacher resources—organized to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of math with every lesson. The student resources include a variety of visual models, a Student Journal (both print and digital versions) that guides thinking, and interactive tools that bring learning to life. Fill out the form to download a whitepaper about our Stepping Stones Implementation Tool (SSIT) and examples of districts who have found success!

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The Effect of Stepping Stones Math on Student Achievement

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) was contracted by ORIGO Education to conduct an external independent evaluation of the Stepping Stones Math curriculum. The study was designed to estimate the effect of Stepping Stones on student mathematics achievement, as measured by the percentage of students who scored proficient or better on state end-of-year assessments. Click the button below to view the full study.

Read the full AIR Research Study

Visible Learning, and the Work of John Hattie

Dr. John Hattie is a renowned researcher in education. His research interests include performance indicators, models of measurement, and evaluation of teaching and learning. He coined the term visible learning, which means an enhanced role for teachers as they become evaluators of their own teaching. He believes visible learning and teaching occur when teachers see learning through the eyes of students and help them become their own teachers.

We are proud that ORIGO products and services are based on Dr. Hattie’s visible learning research findings. Dr. Hattie’s research encompassed some 100,000 studies conducted on 300 million students around the globe to identify patterns that inform practice.

Spaced Teaching and Practice

“To help students remember key facts, concepts, and knowledge, we recommend that teachers arrange for students to be exposed to key course concepts on at least two occasions – separated by a period of several weeks to several months.”

Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning (National Center for Education Research, Institute of Education Sciences, 2007)

Read More About Spaced Teaching and Practice

Worcester County Schools

“We wanted our students, all students — special ed students, general education students, everybody — to learn math at high levels with conceptual understanding. And we wanted to increase student engagement and discourse,” said Kirsten Danisavich, Coordinator of Instruction for Mathematics. “When we completed analyzing and thinking about what our new learning solution should be, we realized that Stepping Stones from ORIGO Education was in full alignment with where we wanted to go.

Using Stepping Stones in all our elementary schools at all levels from Pre-K through 6th grade ensures that all our students have the same opportunity to learn. Our vision was to implement a program that increased high-level mathematics understanding and helped students and teachers love math. It has put all our campuses on the same playing field, so that all students have the same opportunity to learn. It is so exciting to see our vision become a reality.”

Read more about Worcester County Schools

Magnolia Independent School District

Stepping Stones was implemented district-wide in Magnolia Independent School District beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, and the results are strong among all populations, including general education, special education, and other vulnerable subgroups.

Following an analysis of student performance, Magnolia found that “the most important indicator of success is an openness to change, fidelity to the program, and a culture shift that has teachers and students alike excited about math.”

“A core curriculum that underscores the importance of conceptual understanding of math requires more than just a new book. Teachers need rich tools like those offered in Stepping Stones to break out of the past methods. They need ongoing professional development and support to ensure fidelity across classrooms, campuses, and districts. Fidelity to the teaching model will help all students, regardless of mathematical preparation or English language mastery, be better prepared for annual state assessments and ongoing progress in mathematics.”

Read more about Magnolia Independent School District