Rise
Product by McGraw Hill
Facts checked: Not yet checked
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating). This label applies to learning-science judgments throughout this overview.
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating)
Rise offers structured, adaptive practice for K-8 math and reading, but The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated its long-term efficacy. The platform utilizes algorithmic adjustment to provide immediate scaffolding when students struggle, which aligns well with established principles of formative assessment and mastery learning, though independent outcome data remains pending.
Pros
- Adapts difficulty dynamically based on real-time student performance to prevent frustration.
- Provides immediate, scaffolded support rather than simply marking answers incorrect.
- Breaks grade-level objectives into manageable mini-cycles to reduce cognitive overload.
- Generates continuous formative assessment data to pinpoint specific skill gaps.
Cons
- Relies heavily on multiple-choice mechanics which may not capture deeper conceptual understanding.
- Lacks opportunities for open-ended or project-based learning.
- Independent efficacy data confirming its impact on actual learning loss is not yet available.
What Do We Know About Rise?
Rise is a supplemental practice tool for K-8 math and reading that shows promise for addressing skill gaps, but it has not yet been formally evaluated by The Learning Standard. Your child will experience a personalized progression of questions designed to test grade-level objectives. When they answer incorrectly, the system automatically intervenes. Instead of just failing your child and moving on, Rise provides scaffolded supports: breaking down the problem into smaller, more manageable steps. This mimics the scaffolding a teacher would provide and is a strong application of learning science. However, because this is primarily a drill-and-practice platform, it is best used alongside formal classroom instruction rather than as a replacement for it. The program tracks every response to build a detailed profile of what your child knows and what they need to review. This data is highly useful for identifying specific learning loss. While the adaptive technology is robust, parents should remember that algorithmic learning requires active monitoring to ensure kids aren't just clicking through to finish.
How Does Rise Work?
Rise utilizes an adaptive, mastery-based progression model that adjusts question difficulty based on continuous formative assessment. Students log in and begin working through mini-cycles of questions tied to specific K-8 Math and English Language Arts standards. The core mechanic is algorithmic adaptation. If your child answers a question correctly, the system records that mastery data and advances them to more complex concepts. If they answer incorrectly, the learning pathway shifts immediately. Rise intercepts the failure by providing scaffolded supports: breaking the concept down, offering hints, or presenting prerequisite skills required to solve the original problem. This creates a personalized learning loop. The platform continuously harvests data from these interactions, mapping your child's proficiency against grade-level expectations. This allows educators and parents to see exactly where learning loss has occurred and how the software is attempting to remediate those gaps.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Rise
Rise's biggest strength is its real-time scaffolding for incorrect answers, while its biggest weakness is an over-reliance on standard question formats that may not assess deep conceptual mastery. From a learning science perspective, Rise excels in formative assessment. By breaking objectives into mini-cycles, it minimizes cognitive overload and uses retrieval practice effectively. The platform's adaptive engine is its standout feature; instead of punitive grading, it offers immediate, targeted interventions. This scaffolded feedback is critical for keeping struggling students engaged and preventing the frustration that often accompanies learning loss. However, the platform has limitations. Because it relies heavily on standardized, closed-ended questions, it may struggle to evaluate a student's critical thinking or problem-solving rationale. Over-reliance on drill-and-practice mechanics can lead to superficial learning if not paired with deeper, teacher-led instruction. Furthermore, while the platform generates excellent data, the ultimate effectiveness of these insights depends entirely on how teachers and parents use them to inform offline instruction. The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated Rise's long-term outcomes.
Who Might Benefit From Rise?
Rise is best for K-8 students who have specific skill gaps and need targeted, adaptive practice alongside their core curriculum. This platform is highly useful for parents and educators trying to remediate learning loss in mathematics and reading. Because the software adapts to the user, it works well for children who easily become frustrated by materials that are too difficult, as well as those who get bored when work is too easy. It is strictly a supplemental tool, making it ideal for after-school practice, summer bridge learning, or as an intervention resource within a traditional classroom setting.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Rise does not meet our data transparency standard. Its privacy policy does not document basic protections, including a commitment against targeted advertising, limits on sharing children's data and parents' right to see their child's data.
13 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated October 2026
Privacy Center →Level 1 · Basic protections
Does not sell data or target ads at students, limits sharing, and lets parents see and delete their child's data.
Not documented: a commitment against targeted advertising, limits on sharing children's data, parents' right to see their child's data, parents' right to delete their child's data
Level 2 · Parent control (meets the standard)
Families can get their data out, know who processes it, and know how long it is kept.
Not documented: a data retention timeline, self-service deletion
Level 3 · Direct data access
Families or schools can pull their own data through an API, in a stated format.
Not documented: an API for retrieving their own data, a named export format
View all 35 checks
Parent Access3/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“Protecting privacy and maintaining the trust of our customers, students, and their parents has always been a key priority for us.”
Can parents view their child's data?
The policy does not give parents a right to view their child's data; it sends students to their institution for rights requests and refers parents to the institution for information.
Can parents modify their child's data?
The policy does not give parents a right to modify their child's data.
Can parents delete their child's account?
The policy does not give parents a right to delete their child's data or account.
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
The policy has a "Privacy Information for Parents" section but no section headed for children's privacy or COPPA.
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“We have implemented policies and procedures to support customers in their compliance with privacy laws, including: GDPR, COPPA, and FERPA.”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“We have implemented policies and procedures to support customers in their compliance with privacy laws, including: GDPR, COPPA, and FERPA.”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
The policy does not say parental consent is required for child accounts.
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“Access and rectification: We strive to ensure that the PII we have about you is accurate and current. You may obtain confirmation as to whether or not PII concerning you exists, regardless of whether PII has already been recorded, and be communicated such information in a readily understandable form.”
Can users download/export their data?
“Data portability: You have the right to export your PII from our systems in a readily accessible file type.”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
The policy only offers request forms and contacts, not a self-service access tool.
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy says only "a readily accessible file type" and names no specific format.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy mentions Google APIs only for mobile apps, not an API for users to retrieve their own data.
Data Minimization2/6
Is data collection itemized?
“When you register, or are registered within one of our digital learning solutions, we collect your name, school, instructor, class, and login information.”
Can the app be used without a real name?
The policy says it collects end users' names at registration.
Can the app be used without an email?
The policy does not say that student email addresses are never collected; it collects login and contact information.
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
“We only collect the information required to provide, maintain and improve the digital learning solution you use, or as requested by your institution.”
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy says it collects IP addresses but does not mention anonymizing or truncating them.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy does not explicitly rule out location tracking.
Third-Party Protection4/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“We will not sell end user PII or use information from educational records for marketing purposes.”
Are third-party providers named?
“For example, we provide your PII to service providers that host our platform data in the cloud (e.g., AWS).”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“We contract with other companies to perform certain business-related functions on our behalf and according to our instructions.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
The policy says it will not market to students using their educational records, but it makes no commitment against targeted or behavioral advertising, and it lists DoubleClick among the trackers in the learning systems.
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
The policy does not address sharing data for AI or machine learning.
Child-specific sharing restriction?
The policy has no sharing restriction specific to children.
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“You may disable cookies via your browser or third-party mechanisms. However, some features of our digital learning systems may not function properly without them.”
Deletion & Retention2/5
Can users delete their account?
“At your request, in such instances, we may therefore delete or de-identify your information. However, you should be aware that doing this may limit your use of our services. For example, if you request the deletion of your account within an ecommerce portal, you may be required to re-enter this information should you wish to make another transaction.”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
Deletion works only by request form or contact; there is no self-service option.
Specific data retention timeline?
The policy says data is kept for the minimum time necessary but gives no specific timeline.
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy does not mention automatically deleting inactive accounts.
Post-deletion handling described?
“You can obtain certification to the effect that such operations, as well as their contents, have been notified to the entities to whom the data were communicated, unless this requirement proves impossible or involves a manifestly disproportionate effort.”
Advertising0/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
The policy describes targeted advertising based on its commercial website but does not disclose an advertising model for the learning product.
Free from third-party advertisements?
The policy does not state that the product is free of third-party ads.
Children excluded from ad targeting?
The policy does not explicitly exclude children from ad targeting.
Ad-free option available?
The policy does not state that the product has no advertising or offers an ad-free option.
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Privacy Center against 35 policy-disclosure questions, including questions adapted from the Common Sense Privacy Program's published evaluation questions. TLS is not affiliated with Common Sense Media, and this is not a Common Sense rating. Quoted text is copied from the policy; unquoted notes are our summary. Results describe what the policy documents, not the company's actual practices. Privacy policies can change: this review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how Rise works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Rise
Is Rise free?
Rise is not typically free for individual consumers. It is primarily sold as a supplemental curriculum solution to school districts and educational institutions. Parents should check with their child's school to see if they have access.
Is Rise good for elementary and middle schoolers?
Yes, Rise is specifically designed for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The interface and reading levels scale appropriately across this age range, providing age-appropriate scaffolding for both foundational phonics in early grades and complex math in middle school.
What does Rise teach?
Rise provides instruction and adaptive practice for K-8 Math and English Language Arts. It focuses on standard, grade-level objectives, identifying areas of learning loss and remediating specific skill gaps in reading comprehension, grammar, and mathematical computation.
How does Rise compare to i-Ready?
Both Rise and i-Ready offer K-8 adaptive assessments and personalized learning paths for Math and ELA. i-Ready currently has a larger footprint and more extensive independent efficacy research. Rise distinguishes itself through its specific focus on rapid mini-cycles and immediate scaffolding for incorrect answers.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Rise?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well Rise teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and does not yet document the basic protections (Level 1).
Is Rise COPPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references COPPA. A policy reference alone does not establish COPPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy names COPPA as a law it supports compliance with.
Is Rise FERPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references FERPA. A policy reference alone does not establish FERPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy names FERPA as a law it supports compliance with.
Does Rise have a children's privacy policy?
No dedicated children's privacy section was found in the reviewed policy. Policy review note: The policy has a "Privacy Information for Parents" section but no section headed for children's privacy or COPPA.
Does Rise sell student data?
The reviewed policy states that the app does not sell data. This is a policy statement; actual data practices were not verified. Policy review note: The company states it does not sell end-user data.
Can you delete your data from Rise?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: Users can ask for their account or information to be deleted.
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