The new curriculums will be used by special education to gifted students, from kindergarten to 12th grade. The cost of both programs was $200,000. East Rutherford School District Superintendent Gayle Strauss announced the purchase and introduction of the new software and books at a recent board of education meeting in East Rutherford, saying she was "very excited" about the introduction of AutoSkill and StoryTown Text Books to Faust.

At-risk students from a wide range of ages and skill levels benefit from using AutoSkill intervention solutions. By participating in reading and math intervention programs, at-risk students can develop the skills, learning strategies and positive attitude that will stay with them throughout school.

Hailed around the world as a breakthrough in educational instruction, AutoSkill reading and math intervention solutions employ a research-based and proven methodology to help students build a strong foundation for learning. AutoSkill comes with a variety of modules, including the Academy of Reading, and the Academy of Math. Based on extensive research and proven in thousands of elementary, middle and high schools, the award-winning Academy of Reading delivers a powerful intervention software solution that helps at-risk students achieve rapid, permanent gains in reading.

The Academy of Math builds foundation math skills for beginner through to algebra-ready students in 10 skill areas that align to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards. The Academy of Math training stream is automatically assigned to a student based on a placement test that provides a snapshot of each student's math abilities relative to their grade. An adaptive intervention engine adjusts to students' responses, accelerating training when mastery is demonstrated or reviewing concepts when needed. The ability to create individualized training programs for each student really sets the Academy of Math apart from other server-based instructional systems.

The AutoSkill system can also be accessed from any point on the server-based network, at any time, making it ideal for use during or after school hours, so there’s perhaps little reason now to escape homework with the excuse "I left my books at school, Mom!"

Full sets of StoryTown textbooks have also been purchased. These products are said to be a great instructional tool to encourage emerging literacy in reluctant readers. With StoryTown textbook software, users can create talking, animated stories or play the ones provided in this instructional program. Teachers are able to create, edit and assign stories and write quizzes to test reading comprehension.

"The programs meet the needs of both gifted and special education kids," said board of education member Richard Vartan

Over at McKenzie School, a new "I Love Math" program is being introduced as part of the lunchtime program for elementary children.