CASE STUDY

How Marion County Schools Scaled Writing Instruction and Advanced Academics Enrollment

As Marion County expanded access to advanced academic courses, they needed a solution to improve writing instruction without overburdening teachers. Packback provided a way to increase writing rigor, develop student voice, and scale support across the district.

Key Takeaways

College and Career Acceleration Rate increased from 63% to 67.3%

34% increase in Cambridge Advanced pass rate at Lake Weir High School

11% increase in AP pass rate at Forest High School

12% increase in AP pass rate at Dunnellon High School

Group of students walking out of a lecture building in a sunny afternoon day.

Situation

Marion County Public Schools saw a rapid increase in student enrollment and participation in advanced academic programs, but the demands of writing-intensive coursework were outpacing the support systems available. Teachers were overwhelmed, feedback was inconsistent, and students were struggling to meet expectations in courses like AP, IB, and Cambridge.
  • More than 90 percent of students were enrolled in a writing-intensive 9th–10th grade advanced course
  • Teachers were expected to give weekly feedback on essays and assessments without additional grading support
  • The district needed a scalable way to support rigorous writing instruction without burning out teachers

Action

In 2023, Marion County implemented Packback across its advanced academic programs to provide real-time writing support and reduce teacher workload.
  • Packback’s AI-powered feedback tool was used to guide students through grammar, structure, and idea development
  • Teachers used customizable rubrics and streamlined grading tools to focus feedback on content mastery and critical thinking
  • The district encouraged use across disciplines including English, social studies, and science

Result

After just one year, the district saw improvements in both advanced coursework enrollment and student achievement.
  • College and career acceleration rates rose districtwide
  • Several high schools posted double-digit increases in AP and Cambridge pass rates
  • Teachers reported more rigorous academic discourse and more manageable grading
  • Students felt their writing was taken seriously, which boosted motivation and effort

Real Impact,

Real Voices

We have increased our numerator and our denominator. Enrollment and achievement are both up, and our teachers say the academic discourse has improved.

Mark Ingram Marion County Public Schools
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