ADE Commissioner Jacob Oliva
Jacob Oliva
Secretary | Read Bio 
Department of Education

Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Literacy, Math and STEM Accessibility Software for All Students in Grades 3-12: uPAR, Read&Write and Equatio

Memo Information

Memo Number
COM-25-016
Memo Date
9/23/2024
Memo Type
Informational
Unit
Federal Programs
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Assistant Principal; Assistant Superintendent; Communications Manager / Director; CTE Coordinator (COOPs and regular school districts); Curriculum Coordinators; District Coordinators (ALE; Homeless; ESOL; SDFS & Foster); Educator Effectiveness System Coordinator; Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); General Business Managers; Gifted & Talented Coordinators; Parent Involvement Coordinators/Facilitators; Principals; School Counselors; Superintendents; Teachers; Technology Coordinators; Techstart Coordinators or Contact Name; Test Coordinators

Primary Contact Information

Secondary Contact/s Information

Memo Text

The Arkansas Department of Education - Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is excited to announce upcoming professional development and technical assistance for the Texthelp digital tools uPar, Read&Write, and Equatio.  All Arkansas educators and students in grades 3-12 have access to these tools which can be used to enhance literacy, math, and science instruction and help students succeed academically.

  • uPar is an online reading protocol that provides educators with essential data on how their students read and understand text. This data shows “what works” for each student and identifies the reading accommodations that are right for them.
  • Read&Write is a literacy support toolbar that supports all students to achieve more in reading and writing. With features including text-to-speech, dictionary tools, text prediction and more, Read&Write is designed to support all learners.
  • Equatio supports students in mathematics and STEM subjects by providing tools for digital math, including equation editor, handwriting recognition, and speech-to-math capabilities. Equatio helps students to engage in the learning and express their ideas more effectively and accurately.

We are pleased to offer a range of professional development and technical assistance, both in-person and virtually, to help educators integrate these tools into their educational practices.

In-Person Sessions:

  • October 14 - Ozark Unlimited Resources Cooperative
  • October 15 - Wilbur Mills Cooperative
  • October 16 - Dawson Cooperative
  • October 17 - Guy Fenter Cooperative
  • October 18 - Arkansas River Cooperative

**Please visit ESC Works to register for in-person sessions.

Virtual Sessions:

  • October 14 - Read&Write 9:00 am - 10:00 am
  • October 14 - uPar 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
  • October 15 - Equatio 9:00 am - 10:00 am
  • October 15 - uPar 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
  • October 22 - Read&Write 9:00 am - 10:00 am
  • October 22 - Equatio 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
  • October 23 - uPar 9:00 am - 10:00 am

Please complete the registration form to receive more information about the virtual sessions.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Evan Beavers (evan.beavers@ade.arkansas.gov). 

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