"The dramatic improvement was due to this amazing program! As a parent, I would encourage all parents with young children to take advantage and participate in this great program that is offered free by NCOE! Ruby has now moved on to Clever Kids University, another free literacy app offered by NCOE, and is ready to become a reader!"
Johana, mother of Napa COE kindergartener Ruby Navarro.
After using Footsteps2Brilliance, Ruby went from testing below-average in literacy and phonics to scoring in the 94th percentile for her age group.
"I love that there is a program available for younger students. Pre-literacy is something that is intensely important in the younger grades and this program shows that."
Alesha M.
"Thanks again for providing access to Footsteps2brilliance. My girls are loving it! They are especially loving the Spanish nursery rhymes and "create a book" features."
Melissa Maynard
Footsteps2Brilliance is proving to be a sensational resource for students and families to engage and enhance literacy during school closures. Congratulations to those leveraging this high quality and comprehensive program!
Colleen Myers, M.S. Ed
Coordinator of Instructional Support
San Benito County Office of Education
Our kids are really enjoying the program, parents too. I only have one that has finished and he has started on Footsteps2Brilliance and absolutely loves it. I have about a handful that will finish up either this week or next week. About 80% of usage is at school during our "technology time." This program is really great I love it! Easy to use and has good resources.
I had one student who came in speaking zero English. He has increased his English vocabulary exponentially. I think it makes a big difference for him because he uses more at home than he does at school.
Teacher in Texas
The customer support provided by our F2B regional curriculum director is exactly what's needed to promote high usage rates and student success- from the initial stages of strategic planning with all stakeholders to the ongoing data review conference calls and professional development customized to our needs. We largely owe our district-wide success to the F2B implementation team!
Mary Beth Hamel
Director of Student Services
Ayer Shirley Regional School District
Due to the generosity of Footsteps2Brilliance, Fitchburg State University was able to significantly impact student learning at the Nambale Magnet School in Western Kenya. Beginning in the early grades, teachers were able to reinforce the learning of letter sound relationships through CleverKids University while developing decoding and comprehension skills through the many interactive activities associated with the literature. Students had the opportunity for the first time ever to hear themselves read. One only needs to observe the active engagement and the smiles on each student’s face as they navigate through the activities and learning modules to gain an understanding of the many doors our collaboration with Footsteps2Brilliance has opened for these students.
Nancy L. Murray, Ed. D
Chair of the Graduate Program in Moderate Disabilities
Fitchburg State University
Due to Footsteps2Brilliance, teachers realized that kids had more capacity and ability to learn then they had ever realized.
Due to Footsteps2Brilliance, students in PreK are using complex words in context during their conversations.
Due to this initiative, teachers felt that preschool was made a priority!
The initiative has worked/been successful because of the classroom coaching, support provided by the county, and Barb’s enthusiasm towards early literacy.
Teachers felt that their time towards the initiative was valued because a stipend/monetary award was provided by the county during the first years of implementation.
Napa County Teachers
"I use all parts of Footsteps2Brilliance. I look forward to using this user friendly, standards based, developmentally appropriate program with my students."
1st grade teacher at Page Hilltop Elementary, Ayer, MA
"Footsteps2Brilliance is a great resource for students because they can work at different levels in the same classroom."
Teacher from Del Norte
"English language learners, immigrant students, and struggling readers present the greatest challenge for teachers. Footsteps2Brilliance provides an excellent tool to help promote literacy skills for these at-risk groups."
2nd grade teacher, Public School 63, Queens, New York
"My students have been excited about using Footsteps2Brilliance in the classroom. I look forward to adding the stories offered in the program to my lessons."
PreK Teacher from Vallejo City USD
“Footsteps2Brilliance is very beneficial. Footsteps is introducing [students] to concepts of letters and sounds that will help them become proficient readers. The students very much enjoy using this program as well. They enjoy the stories and games and look forward to it everyday.”
Teacher at Hughbanks Elementary, Rialto Unified School District
"My students really benefit from Footsteps2Brilliance because it has helped them with recognition of letters and sounds. My English learners benefit from this program as well."
Teacher at Hughbanks Elementary, Rialto Unified School District
"I love that this program is available both in English and Spanish, it's very user friendly, and engaging!"
Teacher at Dalton Elementary, Uvalde CISD. Texas
"I am excited because its FREE to our families, can be used anywhere, and is the same interface across all devices."
School Administrator, Anthon Elementary, Uvalde CISD, Texas
"My students love F2B, it's worked out as a great resource in my class."
3rd Grade Teacher from Mammoth Elementary, Mammoth Lakes, CA
"I like the tiered questions that accompany the books. The games are fun and engaging for my students. I am glad our district has purchased the fun resource."
2nd Grade Teacher from Dunn Elementary, Rialto Unified School District
"I appreciate that the texts have accompanying tools and games. The ability for students to create their own books also gives them one way to show their learning and share learning with others."
Teacher from Pahoa Elementary School (HI)
"The parts of Footsteps2Brilliance that most benefit my students are the adaptive learning, creating informational text books, and comprehension tests."
Teacher from Preston Elementary, Rialto Unified School District
"The most beneficial part for me creating your own book from informational text. My students were very engaged and excited to try this on their own. The amount of comprehension needed and connecting facts as well as formulating main ideas to target are all going to assist them in their own writing skills as well as comprehension and recall."
Teacher from Pahoa Elementary School, HI
“ My students will benefit from the easy access to the program i.e. from any iPad or smart device. They also love the high interest texts and the challenging and fun interactive activities. In the short time we have been using F2B, I have seen my students use language arts and comprehension skills from the program in their mainstream classes. I am very hopeful F2B will yield positive outcomes for my struggling readers.
English language learners, immigrant students, and struggling readers present the greatest challenge for teachers. F2B provides an excellent tool to help promote literacy skills for these at-risk groups.”
- Linda Genao
2nd and 4th Grade ELL Teacher
PS 63Q
“ My students will benefit from the easy access to the program i.e. from any iPad or smart device. They also love the high interest texts and the challenging and fun interactive activities. In the short time we have been using F2B, I have seen my students use language arts and comprehension skills from the program in their mainstream classes. I am very hopeful F2B will yield positive outcomes for my struggling readers.
English language learners, immigrant students, and struggling readers present the greatest challenge for teachers. F2B provides an excellent tool to help promote literacy skills for these at-risk groups.”
- Linda Genao
2nd and 4th Grade ELL Teacher
PS 63Q
“ My siblings are enjoying the program. My mom keeps telling me that once they get home from school, they instantly want to start reading. This makes me very proud of them because they would never want to read until they were exposed to this app.”
- Roxanna Barboza
“ I was at a softball game last night and sat next to a little girl (entering kindergarten this year) as she showed me her "games"-- aka Footsteps2Brilliance. She knows all her letters and can't wait to start kindergarten!”
- Text from a school board member to the Fitchburg Superintendent
Why Footsteps2Brilliance is Amazing
by Kathryn Jacoby
"People ask what is different about this program. What’s different is it works with any age. I have personally used it with 2 year olds up to 8 year olds; all of them love it. They use it at different levels with different understandings, but I have seen 3 year olds sounding out words after being on it for just a few months. Students love to do it. "
“ F2B is a hit with our schools, I have seen it in action several times this week alone.”
- Superintendent Nicolas Brake Ph.D.
“This is unbelievable, I created a book with my grandson and he loved it, it was so much fun.”
- Lorie
“My EL parents finally have a real tool to engage with their children.”
- Maria
“I thought Footsteps was just for kids, I'm having as much fun. The thing I like is how simple it is to use.”
- Donna
“I've been using F2B since it was introduced to Revere and I have to compliment your company on the updates. My students notice every time a new game is added. They get really excited to try the new games. I absolutely love the skills that have been incorporated into games such as rhyming words, CVC words, vowels, digraphs. My kids love playing F2B during center time and I love that they are practicing these skills and being exposed to so many stories, songs and vocabulary.”
- - Teacher Revere, MA
“I also wanted to share how much my students LOVE the Footsteps to Brilliance program! The writing component has been incredibly motivating to my students!”
- - Teacher Leominster, MA
"Our 3 and 4 year old children are really enjoying and learning so much through this program. As soon as they walk in the door in the morning they are asking if they can go log in and read. We are very proud of their achievements in such a short period of time.”
-- Teacher Alachua County, FL
"Our teachers and administrators are hearing our ELL students using English vocabulary straight out of F2B, and knowing exactly what the words mean. This program is doing so much for our kids.”
-- Barbara Nemko, Ph.D. Napa County Superintendent of Schools
"My grandson, Sonny, says that Footsteps is AWESOME! It's easy to use and fun.”
-- Lyn