Case Study: How Courtney Mays' Sixth Grade Class Went From Struggling to Outperforming Their Peers
When Courtney Mays, a 6th-grade teacher in Ohio, looked at her students’ writing skills, she knew they needed more support.
Many of her students came into her classroom without much formal writing experience. They struggled with organizing their thoughts, building strong paragraphs, and creating complete essays. With state testing ahead, Courtney needed a writing curriculum that would not only teach the fundamentals but also help her students feel confident as writers.
She wanted something structured, easy to follow, and effective.
That’s when she found the Simplify Writing® Curriculum.
“I always had a lot of say in my curriculum, and I was trusted to do what I felt was right for my students,” Courtney shared. “When I stumbled upon Simplify Writing, I knew I needed this for my students.”
What stood out immediately was how complete the curriculum was. With ready-to-use resources, clear lesson plans, and step-by-step instruction, Courtney finally had a roadmap for teaching writing without having to build everything from scratch.
As she implemented Simplify Writing® in her classroom, she started noticing a major shift.
Her students weren’t just completing assignments — they were becoming stronger, more independent writers.
“The growth I saw in them over the year was truly amazing,” Courtney said.
By the time state testing arrived, her students were confidently writing 5–6 paragraph essays, including argumentative essays with counterclaims. They understood how to structure polished paragraphs, support their ideas, and approach writing with a clear plan.
And the results showed.
“In the year prior to implementing Simplify Writing, I had about 30% of my students pass the ELA state test,” Courtney explained. “The year I implemented Simplify Writing, my passing percentage went up to 58%. I can say very confidently that their writing was the reason for this.”
While essay writing is only one part of the ELA assessment, Courtney saw firsthand how improving her students’ writing skills had a significant impact on their overall performance.
Her success didn’t go unnoticed.
After seeing the progress Courtney’s students made, other teachers in her school began adopting Simplify Writing® as well. The straightforward lessons helped reduce planning stress while still giving teachers flexibility to choose the resources and support their students needed most.
For Courtney and her students, Simplify Writing® became more than just a curriculum. It became the structure they needed to turn writing frustration into confidence and success.
