“It is easy to say a course is high quality; Quality Matters gives us a Rubric to prove it."Cassie Rochholz, Senior Director of Government Relations, Edmentum
For K-12 districts using online courses to expand access, address staffing challenges, or give students more flexible learning options, availability is only part of the equation. The bigger question is whether those courses deliver the quality of instruction students need to succeed.
QM member Edmentum offers one example of what that can look like. The K-12 education technology provider offers digital curricula, assessments, and instructional services to schools and districts around the world. Its relationship with Quality Matters dates back to 2013, becoming a member shortly after the K-12 Rubric was introduced. Since then, Edmentum has steadily expanded its use of QM Standards and Reviews for Certification. Today, Edmentum/Apex Learning has 177 QM-Certified K-12 courses — more than any other provider.
“Quality Matters has meant discipline,” said Cassie Rochholz, Edmentum’s Senior Director of Government Relations. “It is easy to say a course is high quality; Quality Matters gives us a rubric to prove it.”
Putting Course Quality to the Test
Edmentum put that commitment to quality to work in a large Midwestern school district where, during the 2021–2022 school year, ninth-grade students across 14 secondary schools used the company’s Courseware product for Algebra 1 and English 1 as an alternative to traditional in-person sections.
The results were promising. Learners using Edmentum Courseware for Algebra 1 saw significantly greater growth in math than students in traditional in-person sections, equivalent to an improvement of about five percentile points. English 1 students also showed stronger reading growth than their in-person peers. In Algebra 1, 78% of Courseware students completed the course, and 53% earned credit.
For Edmentum, the results offered powerful validation of a belief that has guided its work with QM: thoughtfully designed online learning can support meaningful student success. The fruits of these efforts were especially significant given the diverse population served, which included high numbers of economically disadvantaged students, English learners, and students with disabilities. The Algebra 1 findings ultimately earned ESSA Tier 2 evidence status.
Designing Quality In From the Start
Edmentum credits its use of the QM K-12 Rubric with providing a consistent framework for designing courses before students ever enter them, laying a path for student success. “The Quality Matters Rubric shaped the course architecture that made these results possible,” Rochholz said.
That architecture includes clear alignment among learning objectives, assessments, and instructional materials; navigation designed to reduce cognitive load; and structured opportunities for practice, feedback, and engagement. QM professional development has also influenced how Edmentum’s design teams approach their work, with greater emphasis on facilitation, feedback, and learner engagement.
Scaling Quality With Confidence
Edmentum now hopes to extend that evidence beyond Algebra 1 and English 1. The company is seeking additional district partners willing to share performance data and plans to explore longer-term outcomes, including high school graduation, college enrollment, and career readiness.
As that work grows, Rochholz says the QM K-12 Rubric will remain the foundation that helps Edmentum maintain consistency across subjects, grade levels, and districts.
For schools, districts, and course providers facing the same challenge, the lesson is a useful one: quality online learning does not happen by accident. A deliberate, research-supported approach to course design can create the conditions for stronger learning experiences — and provide a reliable, research-supported system for measuring whether those experiences are working. Ready to improve your courses and better support your learners? Explore QM K-12 Reviews for Certification today.
Want to ensure your third-party curriculum meets QM Standards? See a list of QM-Certified K-12 Publisher Courses — or contact us today!
