A newly released impact report from one of the nation's largest educational technology providers suggests that student success still relies heavily on teachers. Cambium Learning Group’s 2025–2026 report, "Education through Connection," shows academic gains but ties those achievements directly to teacher support and professional training.
What Happened
According to the Cambium Learning Group 2025-2026 Impact Report, the company has shifted its annual reporting to align with the active school year rather than the calendar year. The data shows that the company's platforms now reach 96% of school districts in the United States, serving over 26 million students and educators alongside 33 million family members.
The report lists several student outcomes. For example, elementary students using ExploreLearning Reflex were 2.6 times more likely to reach grade-level math proficiency compared to peers who did not use the software. Students using Time4Learning's Cinema Series also saw an average 16% increase in academic grades.
The most telling statistic in the report connects software results directly to teacher training. Students using the literacy platform Lexia Core5 achieved 52% higher point gains when their teachers completed the Lexia LETRS professional development course, compared to students whose teachers only partially completed the training. This suggests that educational software is only as good as the teacher guiding it.
The Bigger Picture
As we previously reported, evaluating corporate impact reports requires looking beyond massive numbers like "11 billion math facts solved." Independent researchers consistently find that technology alone cannot drive deep, lasting academic growth.
A study published in the Journal of Education and e-Learning Research found that digital tracking metrics, such as how often a student logs in or how many modules they click through, do not correlate with actual emotional engagement or student satisfaction. Instead, the study demonstrated that personalized feedback and emotional support from teachers drive academic success in blended learning environments. Without this human relationship, students quickly experience digital fatigue. When school districts treat software as an independent supervisor, student motivation drops.
What This Means for Families
For parents, these findings are a reminder to look past marketing claims about "digital tutors." While programs like Reflex and Lexia are useful tools for practicing core skills, they do not replace active instruction. Your child's progress on an app depends heavily on how well their classroom teacher has been trained to use that app in daily lessons.
For educators, the data shows the need to advocate for thorough professional development. If a school district invests in a new digital platform without dedicating time and resources for teachers to master it, the software's classroom value will likely drop.
What You Can Do
To support your child's learning, start by asking about teacher training. When your school district introduces a new digital tool, ask if teachers receive structured professional development, such as Lexia LETRS, to support its rollout.
You should also look beyond screen time. Do not rely solely on an app's green checkmarks or logged minutes to measure your child's progress. Talk to their teacher about how those digital activities translate to offline classroom performance.
Finally, prioritize interactive feedback. Encourage your school to focus on blended learning models that prioritize personalized, teacher-led feedback over passive screen time.