How Does Footsteps2Brilliance Compare to Other Reading Programs in Osceola County?

When the Osceola Reads team is out in the community, we are asked quite regularly how Footsteps2Brilliance compares to other reading programs in Osceola County. The main programs in question are i-Ready, which is being used in School District of Osceola County classrooms, and the reading app ABCmouse, used by many community families. Here are a few ways these programs are similar and how Footsteps2Brilliance stands out among the rest.

Program Content: All three programs have a strong focus on literacy skills, working to build children's understanding of phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and comprehension. While i-Ready is more prescriptive in nature, giving your child what comes next in their learning sequence, ABCmouse and Footsteps2Brilliance allow your child to jump around within the program, choosing their learning experience. These interactive programs allow for your child to use decision making skills to work on material that is of interest to them.‍

Reports:All three programs offer reporting features for parents to view their child's progress. The reports range in detail, with i-Ready offering many data points to provide parents with an idea of what their child has mastered and what needs more work. ABCmouse and Footsteps2Brilliance give information about what books, games, and activities the child has accessed and the length of time spent in each area.

‍Price and Enrollment:Students enrolled in a School District of Osceola County classroom have free access to the i-Ready program. The school assigns each child an account to be used at school and at home. ABCmouse requires a monthly subscription of $7.95 for usage, and the parent must assign the child an account. Footsteps2Brilliance is available for FREE to all children living in Osceola County, whether they are school-aged or not. All parents have to do to register their child is visit www.OsceolaReads.com, and their child may start using Footsteps2Brilliance immediately!

‍Accessibility:All three programs can be accessed via app on smart devices or via a web browser; however, to use both i-Ready and ABCmouse, the device must be connected to wifi or the internet. Footsteps2Brilliance, on the other hand, can be accessed with or without a wifi or internet connection on a smart device. All you have to do is make sure any content within the app that you'd like your child to have access to is downloaded to the device prior to turning off wifi.

The i-Ready, ABCmouse, and Footsteps2Brilliance programs all have their advantages, and depending on what you are looking for in supplementing your child's reading education at home, you can choose what fits your family best. You may find a combination of two or all of these programs works best for your family. However, we love that through the Osceola Reads initiative, Footsteps2Brilliance is absolutely FREE to all children living in Osceola County regardless of age, and doesn't require internet access, making it easy to use on the go! What reading program in Osceola County do you prefer to use with your child to supplement your reading routine?