March 12, 2026
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Over the past decade, schools, colleges, libraries, and nonprofit organizations have enrolled more than 4 million students in the Learning Upgrade program of online courses for math, English, digital literacy, and life skills. Independent evaluations and field studies show consistent learning gains across a wide range of populations including K–12 students, adult learners, refugees, and English language learners.
This page summarizes several research evaluations and real-world implementations that demonstrate the impact of Learning Upgrade on literacy, math achievement, and language development.
If you would like the complete summary, you can download the full research overview below.
Download the full research summary:
📄 Learning Upgrade Research Evaluation Results
Evidence from Independent Research and Field Trials
The Learning Upgrade program has been evaluated in multiple environments, from rural schools in Africa to adult literacy programs and U.S. public schools. These studies consistently show that well-designed mobile learning tools can produce meaningful academic growth when students engage with structured digital lessons.
Below are highlights from several key studies and pilot programs.
Ghana Research Evaluation: Improving Foundational Learning in Rural Schools
One of the most recent evaluations of Learning Upgrade was conducted in six rural schools in Ghana’s Volta Region. The program was implemented alongside Starlink high-speed internet connectivity, enabling students in remote communities to access digital learning resources for the first time.
The initiative was designed to strengthen English literacy and mathematics performance for students from Basic 1 through Senior High School 3.
An independent impact evaluation was conducted by Selorm Mensah, PhD Candidate at the University for Development Studies in Ghana, after one year of implementation.
Key results from the study
30% relative improvement in English literacy
40% relative improvement in math performance
Gender gap closed in mathematics outcomes
Beyond academic improvements, teachers reported that students also gained greater digital confidence and engagement while using the program.
Read the full research report:
https://web.learningupgrade.com/2026/02/19/transforming-foundational-learning-in-ghanas-volta-region-with-learning-upgrade-and-starlink/
XPRIZE Adult Literacy Competition: National Trial with 12,000 Learners
Learning Upgrade was also tested in one of the largest mobile learning research trials ever conducted.
The Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE challenged technology teams to develop mobile apps capable of significantly improving adult literacy skills within 12 months, using smartphones and tablets that learners already owned.
During the competition:
12,000 adult learners participated in randomized trials
Eight finalist literacy apps were tested
Growth was measured using the CASAS reading assessment
Learning Upgrade emerged as a Co-Grand Prize Winner, achieving the highest gains in CASAS reading scores among the finalists.
This large-scale randomized study demonstrated that mobile learning platforms can dramatically accelerate literacy development for adults when lessons are engaging and accessible.
More about the competition:
https://www.xprize.org/competitions/adult-literacy
Refugee Education Trial with the Aga Khan Development Network
Another important evaluation of Learning Upgrade focused on English language development for refugees preparing for resettlement.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) conducted a trial with 800 refugee students in Turkey. The goal was to improve English proficiency so students could meet CEFR language requirements for repatriation to Canada.
The trial took place during the COVID pandemic, when in-person instruction was limited and students relied primarily on digital learning.
Results from the six-month study
Most learners began at Pre-A1 or A1 English levels
Over 40% of students improved two or more CEFR levels
20% reached advanced C1 proficiency
Another 20% reached B1 or B2 intermediate levels
These results show that structured mobile learning programs can help learners make rapid progress even in challenging conditions.
Read the full report:
https://web.learningupgrade.com/2022/07/05/transforming-students-into-teachers-the-refugee-learning-journey/
Manzanita Community School: Supporting English Learners
Learning Upgrade has also been successfully implemented in diverse public schools across the United States.
Manzanita Community School in Oakland, California serves one of the most linguistically diverse student populations in the state.
29 languages spoken across the student body
46% of students are English Language Learners (ELL)
Teachers faced the challenge of supporting students with widely varying reading levels, making differentiated instruction difficult.
After implementing Learning Upgrade as part of their literacy support strategy, the school reported strong results.
Key outcome
Over 90% of students improved reading scores on the Lexile scale
The program helped teachers provide individualized instruction while students progressed at their own pace.
Read the full success story:
https://www.learningupgrade.com/html/Manzanita_LU_SuccessStory.pdf
Castle Park Middle School: Math Intervention Success
Castle Park Middle School in Chula Vista, California implemented Learning Upgrade as part of its math intervention program.
The school serves a high-need student population:
96% minority students
88% economically disadvantaged
65% English learners
Teachers used Learning Upgrade lessons to support students during both school-day intervention periods and after-school programs.
Students progressed through the program to achieve Gold Certificate mastery levels, which were tracked through the Learning Upgrade reporting system.
Results after one school year
Significant gains in math achievement across all grade levels
Improvements observed in multiple student subgroups
Strong engagement among students needing additional support
Full report:
https://www.learningupgrade.com/html/LU_WP_CastleParkMiddle_2013.pdf
Schoolwide Reading and Math Intervention Study
Another study analyzed the implementation of Learning Upgrade across five schools using the program for intervention in reading and math.
The report documented both student outcomes and practical strategies schools used to integrate digital learning into intervention programs.
Findings from the study showed that schools using Learning Upgrade were able to:
Improve reading and math outcomes
Support students with targeted remediation
Implement structured intervention models at scale
Full report:
https://www.learningupgrade.com/html/LU_SchoolWideGains2012.pdf
Why These Results Matter
Across these studies and implementations, several consistent themes emerge.
1. Mobile learning can accelerate progress
Students using Learning Upgrade regularly show measurable gains in reading, math, and language proficiency.
2. Technology supports individualized learning
Digital courses allow students to move at their own pace while receiving immediate feedback and remediation.
3. Access matters
From rural schools in Ghana to refugee learners in Turkey, access to engaging digital learning tools can dramatically expand educational opportunity.
4. Programs can scale
Learning Upgrade has successfully supported students in classrooms, libraries, adult education programs, and remote learning environments.
Download the Full Research Summary
If you would like a concise overview of these studies and evaluation results, you can download the full document below.
