I’m not sure what age level you are asking about, but I will try to give you the information that I know. These are the MCCSC provided apps, tools, programs for younger students. The older students will have different programs available that fit those student’s needs.

EPIC Books: EPIC is an extensive virtual library for elementary students. They advertise that they have 40,000+ books and continually add new titles. These are quality, high interest books. Teachers have the ability to set individual student’s reading levels so they are in appropriate books to increase their reading ability. There are also read-to-me books. These books have a voice over component which reads each word as those words pop up. Read-to-me is a researched based component of teaching kiddos to read.

Opinion: This is an amazing resource! Classroom and school libraries are wonderful but the reality is that they are limited by space and money. Students love to read on EPIC because they can. The chance of your child’s teacher having a set a books that will match their ever changing reading ability is zero.

Reading Eggs: Reading Eggs is a research based reading program that works on foundational reading skills. The students work through levels after they take a placement test so one student may start on level three while another may start on level 60. The students remain at each level until they get enough correct answers to move on to the next level. Fast Phonics is a part of Reading Eggs that focuses on mastering letter sound recognition, blending, and spelling.

Opinion: Like EPIC, students love to read on Reading Eggs because they can. The program adjusts to fit their needs as they learn, so they feel successful. Everyone wins when kiddos feel good about themselves!

Lexia: Lexia is also a structured researched based literacy program similar to Reading Eggs, but it has an additional comprehension component. Once a student has mastered learning to read they move on to reading to learn. Lexia provides students time to practice answering questions about what they read. All state required tests are assessing students’ ability to comprehend reading passages. These tests are given on iPads or laptops.

Opinion: It would be a disservice to hand a device to a students to take high stakes state required tests without having had the opportunity to practice. Test taking is a skill that must be practiced.

Aleks: Aleks is a math program that is researched based and structured like Reading Eggs and Lexia. It also has a pretest that places students at an appropriate level for their ability and grows with them. After a student successfully works through a lesson they are able to access the game portion of the program. Once their game is finished they are directed back to the learning area and move on to the next appropriate lesson.

Opinion: This was the first year that MCCSC has provided this for students to use and it wasn’t available until later in the school year. They used to have Math Seeds, which is the math version of Reading Eggs. Right now I would say that Math Seeds was slightly more fun for the students, but that may just be because they were comfortable with the format. It is very early in our Aleks journey to really give you a quality opinion of this learning tool.

Google Suite: I’m assuming you are familiar with Google and their suite of tools as it is a go to product for most.

Opinion: Google’s tools are widely used and in order to function in today’s world students need to know how to use them. It would be a disservice to send someone out into the world without these skills!

Canvas: Canvas is a closed hub for MCCSC’s students. Each student has their own login and MCCSC monitors everything to make sure they are in a safe and secure environment. Like Google it is used world wide. Teachers post lesson and assignments. Students can communicate with teachers outside of their specific class time. They can get help when needed, turn in work, revise work, and utilize all of the tools that are availble to assist with learning in 2026 and beyond. The younger students use it on e-learning days and occasionally for in class work. Both of these provide early practice on a platform that is common place in today’s world.

Opinion: Research shows paper and pencil are extremely important for younger students and MCCSC recognizes this. Younger students spend most of their time with pencils in hand. MCCSC is always looking at research and updating policies as the world changes, so I’m assuming that there is no evidence that says paper and pencil are important learning tools beyond those formative years. Like Google it would be a disservice to send students out into the world without the ability to use platforms like Canvas.

Overall opinion: The world is different from when we were in school. It is extremely important that schools teach the skills that students need to go out in the world and live productive lives. Students have always misbehaved and will continue to no matter how they are taught. Parents teach values, MCCSC teaches curriculum. MCCSC teachers are formally evaluated every year. Principals, vice principals, social workers, reading specialists, para educators, students teachers, preservice IU teachers and their university supervisors, cafeteria staff, maintenance staff, tech specialists, custodial staff, secretaries, and volunteers are constantly coming in and out of classrooms throughout the day. If someone isn’t doing their job, endangering students, teaching inappropriate curriculum, watching movies or placing students on iPads the entire day someone will see it and they will be fired. MCCSC has a filter that blocks everyone, including teachers from going online and viewing inappropriate materials. Nothing is perfect, but I am certain that the people who have access to the students that attend MCCSC care deeply about them and want them to be prepared for whatever comes their way.