Case Study: From 22% to 84% in the First Week of Simplify Writing® in a Hybrid Homeschool Program

As a 3rd-grade general education teacher at Classical Academies, Emily Fox faced a unique challenge when it came to teaching writing.

Because her school followed a hybrid homeschool model, she needed to make the most of the instructional time she had with students in the classroom. Without a structured writing curriculum in place, Emily found it difficult to provide consistent instruction while also meeting the wide range of needs among her students.

She knew her students were capable writers. They just needed the right support and a clear path forward.

That’s when she discovered Simplify Writing®. Emily was drawn to the curriculum because of its direct, systematic approach to writing instruction. She needed something that would provide structure, build foundational skills, and help students grow at their own pace.

After implementing Simplify Writing®, Emily redesigned her writing block to include more explicit instruction, guided practice, and opportunities for students to apply what they were learning. Using the resources inside Simplify Writing®, Emily focused on helping students master essential writing skills.

She also incorporated the  intervention resources to target specific skill gaps. During literacy center rotations, Emily used small group instruction to give students additional support exactly where they needed it.

The impact happened quickly.

Within the first week of using Simplify Writing®, Emily saw a dramatic improvement in her students’ ability to write topic sentences. Before implementation, only 22% of her students demonstrated mastery of this skill. After just one week, that number increased to 84%.

As students strengthened their foundational writing skills, Emily noticed something else changing too — their confidence. Students began approaching writing assignments with more independence. They better understood how writing was structured, how to organize their ideas, and how to apply the strategies they had learned.

Most importantly, students started enjoying writing. The consistent lessons, clear expectations, and supportive resources helped shift the way students viewed themselves as writers.

For Emily, Simplify Writing® did more than improve writing scores; it changed the culture of writing in her classroom. Her students became more engaged, capable, and confident because they finally had the tools they needed to succeed. Through structured instruction and targeted support, Emily was able to overcome the challenges of a hybrid learning environment and help her students build writing skills that would support them far beyond third grade.