Easy for Students
I use Renaissance Accelerated Reader in my class for students to test on books they have been reading. I run reports weekly to see how the …
Overview
What is Renaissance Accelerated Reader?
Renaissance Accelerated Reader® is designed to save educators time by empowering them with Learnalytics® to make differentiating independent and close reading practice effortless – all while maintaining the flexibility necessary to fit within existing classroom routines. Students are engaged in…
Recent Reviews
Awards
Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
N/A
Unavailable
What is Renaissance Accelerated Reader?
Renaissance Accelerated Reader® is designed to save educators time by empowering them with Learnalytics® to make differentiating independent and close reading practice effortless – all while maintaining the flexibility necessary to fit within existing classroom routines. Students are engaged in…
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?
111 people also want pricing
Alternatives Pricing
What is iSpring Learn?
iSpring Learn is an LMS for automating corporate training and improving employee performance.The system aims to enable users without technical skills to launch eLearning in one day without training. To start training with the platform, administrators upload learning content, assign courses, and…
Product Details
- About
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Renaissance Accelerated Reader?
Renaissance Accelerated Reader® is designed to save educators time by empowering them with Learnalytics® to make differentiating independent and close reading practice effortless – all while maintaining the flexibility necessary to fit within existing classroom routines. Students are engaged in reading self-selected authentic books and articles.
Short comprehension quizzes and built-in close reading practice activities, combined with automatic and educator feedback, keep students accountable for their learning. Dashboards and reporting provide users with the insights necessary to identify quickly which students need more support, which skills each student is ready to learn, and which resources will cultivate proven growth.
According to the vendor, key benefits include:
- Students are nearly twice as likely to be college and career ready with they practice with Renaissance Accelerated Reader.
- A strong research base of 178 scientific studies and review backs Renaissance Accelerated Reader, which ensures that you have scientifically sound practice and reliable data for instructional decisions.
- The Council of Administrators of Special Education endorses Renaissance Accelerated Reader for improving outcomes for students with disabilities.
Renaissance Accelerated Reader Competitors
Renaissance Accelerated Reader Technical Details
| Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
|---|---|
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
| Mobile Application | Mobile Web |
Frequently Asked Questions
ReadnQuiz, Whooo's Reading, and LightSail Education are common alternatives for Renaissance Accelerated Reader.
Reviewers rate Usability highest, with a score of 9.1.
The most common users of Renaissance Accelerated Reader are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
Comparisons
Compare with
Reviews and Ratings
(84)
Community Insights
TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!
- Business Problems Solved
- Recommendations
Renaissance Accelerated Reader has a wide range of use cases in educational settings. Teachers and students across various grade levels use the software to promote independent reading, improve reading skills, and track progress. With its comprehensive tracking features, Renaissance Accelerated Reader allows teachers to monitor student reading practice and growth, providing standardized data that can be shared with other support personnel. This data-driven approach helps identify specific areas of challenge for individual students and guides discussions about their progress.
In addition to fostering a love for reading, Renaissance Accelerated Reader motivates students to read independently by allowing them to earn points and incentives. The software offers a vast collection of books that students love, with new additions being made regularly. It is often used as a tool to ensure that students are reading appropriate and challenging materials while checking comprehension skills. By setting goals and holding students accountable for their comprehension, teachers can effectively differentiate instruction based on individual needs. The program's user-friendly interface empowers students to take ownership of their learning and continually grow and improve as readers. Overall, Renaissance Accelerated Reader has become an invaluable resource for motivating and engaging students while using data to guide their growth as readers.
Users have made several common recommendations for Renaissance Accelerated Reader based on their experiences.
One recommendation is to utilize the program for data-driven instruction. Many users have found that Renaissance Accelerated Reader provides valuable statistics and data for teachers. This allows them to align their lessons with student needs and track progress effectively. By using the program, teachers can make informed decisions about which skills to focus on and tailor instruction accordingly.
Another recommendation is to take advantage of time-saving features. Users have noted that Renaissance Accelerated Reader frees up time for instruction. The program's automated assessment and grading system eliminates the need for manual grading, enabling teachers to devote more time to teaching. This efficiency is particularly beneficial in a busy classroom environment where teachers often face constraints on time.
A third recommendation is to enhance student engagement and motivation. Several users have mentioned that Renaissance Accelerated Reader increases student excitement about reading. The program offers rewards and incentives such as badges and points that motivate students to read more books. This gamification aspect has proven effective in encouraging reluctant readers and promoting a positive reading culture in the classroom.
In addition to these recommendations, users also suggest joining the Renaissance Royals program for tips and support. This program provides educators with resources, professional development opportunities, and a community of fellow educators to exchange ideas and best practices.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-23 of 23)Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
April 24, 2024
Easy for Students
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I use Renaissance Accelerated Reader in my class for students to test on books they have been reading. I run reports weekly to see how the students are doing and if they are comprehendign what they are reading. My students are able to see the number of books they have read, their percentage average and they get to collect items when they meet their goal.
- Large selection of quizzes
- User Friendly
- Changing the quiz numbers for a different languages or being more obvious for kids
April 09, 2024
You want to see change...USE IT
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Renaissance Accelerated Reader is being fully implemented in our district as well as our campus. Our campus encourages teachers to become Honor Roll members. It is a great program that focuses on reading comprehension and increases students fluency. Students gets exposed to all types of genres. In our classroom, we encourage our students to focus on non-fictions books, a ratio of 3:1. (1 being fiction). Once a week, during our PLC's (professional learning community) our campus administrator hands out our diagnostic summary report and discusses why goals were and were not meet and how we as teachers can ensure our campus weekly goals get to be met. As a district level, reports are pulled and campuses with higher percentages get recognized. In regards of problems, we haven't meet any problems with the program. <br>
- Targets comprehension
- Targets fluency
- Create a positive atmosphere of readers
March 14, 2023
Accelerated Reader in Kindergarten
I have been using Accelerated Reader for many years. I have been there to watch/participate as the platform has changed over the year. It just keeps getting better and better. I teacher kindergarten and I love how this program encourages daily reading. My young students love to read and go to the library "by themselves" to get new books. We cheer for each child as they meet goals, may 100's on quizzes and earn new badges on the platform. I love the reports that are available to look at student data and growth. Very user friendly. I love this product.
- Reports and Data
- Daily Reading goals
- Records students progress
- Continue improving and updating platform
- Whole group testing for young readers
- Make Quiz previews easier to find
- More predictable texts available for young readers
January 31, 2023
Ren Place in the Classroom
I use AR with my students to discover their reading levels and track both their comprehension and a reading activity. The problems are motivating students to read at home. I supplement the program with incentive prizes that I purchase. The addition of the goal setting and the moving rocket has really added to my students' excitement. I like how students can track their progress through the rocket and completed work. I wish that my/on better paired with AR so my non-readers could have access to books in their AR level. Both the STAR and Early Literacy tests do not address the leveling of students significantly below grade level.
- STAR tests in accurate in leveling students.
- The moving rocket for goals motivates students.
- The leveling of books is helpful.
- The webpage with the five kinds of assessment was so confusing for my students. Four of the boxes were blue and one was orange. You recently added a colored tip, which is somewhat helpful. I wish the graphics were more unique and engaging.
- Work on the usability of my/on and better pairing it with AR
- Generate AR tests more quickly when new books come out.
Accelerated Reader is being used county-wide in grades K-8. Accelerated Reader gives us a powerful tool to assess students' levels in reading using STAR tests, tests to check students' comprehension, and reports to track progress. Accelerated Reader helps motivate students to read every day and achieve their individual reading goals.
- Accelerated Reader does a good job of making the use of STAR results to easily set AR goals for students.
- AR goals are easy to see and keep track of each student's progress towards their goals.
- AR could use a face lift for viewing reports by making the font easier to read.
- I think AR could increase their student engagement by having a screen that recognized students for "streaks" of passing tests, making 100% on tests, etc.
December 10, 2021
Points Chasers
I facilitate the program. Students have started chasing points instead of reading for pleasure. They skim the book to get the answers.
- Frequently add new tests.
- Allow suggestions of books.
- Good visual for goals for students.
- New report settings are hard to understand.
- Allow teacher to set a timer per question.
- It is slower now when pulling up latest quizzes.
April 16, 2021
Accelerated Reader
[Renaissance] Accelerated Reader was used across the middle school as a method to track student reading, comprehension, and progress. It was a great tool to get kids reading and create a "team atmosphere" between students to try and rack up the most AR points. [Renaissance] Accelerated Reader has SO many books included that our kids love to read and is always adding more to their list.
- Basic Comprehension Questions
- Questions which could only be answered if a book was read
- Tracks student progress
- Tracks reading levels
- Open ended questions
- Adding new books faster
- More books at the adult level (higher readers)
September 20, 2020
Renaissance Accelerated Reader
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Accelerated Reader is used throughout the district as a tool to keep students engaged while independently reading. By tracking and questioning students on their independent reading books, it allows teachers to focus on individually conferencing with students. They use the data gathered by Accelerated Reader to help focus their conversations with students and keep track of the progress they make throughout the school year.
- Ensure that students have read and understand the books they choose to read.
- Keep track of what books students have read.
- Engages students to choose books of increasing difficulty.
- Simpler user Interface for teachers.
- Simpler user interface for admins.
- It would be nice to have a suggested reading list for students based on the titles that they have already read.
January 25, 2020
My experience with Accelerated Reader
Most of our school uses Accelerated Reader. It is also used throughout our school district. My students enjoy using Accelerated Reader, and I believe it definitely helps with their reading progress and comprehension. It also provides good data for students who are having reading difficulties as well. You can look for patterns in their data.
- Focus on comprehension.
- It has a good variety of books available for testing.
- Maybe more kid friendly motivators toward meeting goals.
December 10, 2019
Pros and Cons
We use Accelerated Reader with our 2nd - 5th grade students. It is an optional program, which is supposed to encourage students to read more. We have offered quarterly stores where the students can spend points, as well as tiered rewards with a field trip as the grand prize.
- Renaissance motivates kids by keeping track of the number of words they read in each book.
- There are features we don't use, such as the dashboard. We have found that difficult to understand.
Every student in our district has an account, but implementation is spotty especially in the upper grades.
- Allows teachers to monitor independent reading.
- Gives students the ability to track their own reading.
- Encourages kids to read.
- Students should be able to see their reading goals and progress in numbers.
- The record book should have the option of a graphical matrix with quicker access to student scores on individual scores.
- The reports are too cumbersome. I shouldn't have to scroll through 500 kids' names to get the one I want.
November 07, 2019
Accelerated Reader Rocks!
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We currently use Accelerated Reader school-wide. This helps us track student reading practice and guide us in recommending reading. Teachers submit weekly reports and at a point goal of 2.5 with an 85 average. These goals are aligned to district goals. This program ensures reading practice that we would otherwise not be able to track other than with a reading log.
- Track student reading practice
- Compare Book Level from STAR to actual book level from reading practice
- Consolidated reports help to see STAR and AR levels
- Ability to duplicate classes
- Share AR classes with STAR so that that we don't have to make separate groups
- Too many steps for Reports
September 27, 2019
Take a Look at Renaissance
Renaissance Accelerated Reader is what our entire organization uses. Students get a book then test it. They must have a 90% success rate when testing. Students are constantly wanting to make sure they hit their goals when reading. It is a good tool for teachers as well, to gauge where students are needing help. You can tell how many books they read, the level, the percentage of the engaged time, and the percentage of how many fiction versus non-fiction they have taken out.
- Gives student engaged time.
- Tell the book level average of the student.
- Tells how many books the child has tested and if they tested successfully.
- It is fine just the way it is.
May 15, 2019
AR 360 is ready to rumble!
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use AR to help our students track their reading growth and to set goals for themselves. This system allows us to conference with our students to discuss how they are doing with reading comprehension quizzes. We are able to discuss trouble spots and make a plan of action to help them be successful.
- Set individualized goals for students
- Track student progress over time
- Integrated with STAR 360 assessments to help with placement
- It could be a little easier to find certain reports if their names were more self explanatory.
- On some screens, it can get confusing to move back and forth between the goals and quizzes screens.
- It would be great to have a mechanism within Renaissance Place to alert admin to remove students from your classes when they move.
May 05, 2019
Encourages Reading!!
Renaissance Accelerated Reader is used for K-12 across our whole district. It is mainly used with the English teachers and their students. It is also used by our virtual students. Our elementary uses it as a free reading tool to earn points and incentives, and the higher grades use it as a graded activity.
- It encompasses a large variety of reading materials.
- It is a user-friendly platform.
- Book suggestions based on previous use would be a great addition.
April 12, 2019
Accelerated Reader Keeps Us Reading!
It is being used from PK-12th grade in our district. We have a very strong team that focuses on the data that is gathered from the reports.
- It allows teachers to have data on the growth the students make in reading independently.
- Other departments also use the STAR Program to give them data on each students' book levels.
- As a school, we promote the program with our teachers and students.
- I love the way it is so user-friendly, and the fact that teachers have an opportunity to live chat in order to ask for help at any time.
- As a librarian, the program allows us to generate data for teachers to use in their classes.
- I would love to see more incentives for the schools to receive after achieving their goals.
- I think it could add emojis to the test questions to make it more interesting.
February 27, 2019
Reading is the future
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I use Renaissance daily! It helps me keep up with goals and student achievements! I use logging forms from the website for student folders. Parents enjoy getting updated information on their child's status in our classroom on AR. Students are rewarded every Friday depending on their AR status. Renaissance is used across the district. I have worked at three different districts and 2/3 utilizes Renaissance Accelerated Reader.
- Accelerated Reader helps educators by having a variety of reports available.
- Accelerated Reader helps students set goals, and it provides feedback on their status.
- Accelerated Reader has many forms available for classroom monitoring, small groups, and individual planning for each student.
- Notifications via email.
- Alert status.
- Better quality rewards.
- More challenges for points.
- Points should not get taken away.
February 22, 2019
Renaissance Accelerated Reader Review
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use Renaissance Accelerated Reader in our classrooms to allow students to be able to get extra practice in areas of weakness as well as allow students who are in need of a challenge to work ahead. Students enjoy the challenge and they do well with the curriculum. Students are able to challenge themselves as well as track their accomplishments through AR.
- Tracks student progress.
- Allows students to test their comprehension.
- Allows teachers to track student progress.
- No suggestions.
February 21, 2019
Renaissance Accelerated Reader is amazing!
Our entire school uses Accelerated Reader. It helps us track our student's progress and understanding of the materials they are reading. It also helps us with a system of rating them to be able to reward them for all their hard work. It encourages our students to read more which broadens their knowledge base.
- It gives you student's averages of the books they have read.
- It sets personalized goals for the students.
- It groups the students into point clubs to show their progress.
- It gives you an estimated time the students have been engaged in reading during the school day.
- I would like to see the program reward students for their hard work.
February 20, 2019
I love Reniassance Accelerated Reader
We currently use Renaissance Accelerated Reader 360 in my school for the students to take tests about the books they are reading. It tests their comprehension of the stories that they are reading by asking questions about the stories. It is one of the best programs for schools to use to test students on their comprehension of the books they are reading along with making it a fun way to motivate them to get reading. I like all the different reports that can be created with the data collected from the tests that are taken by the students.
- Tests comprehension
- Sets points goals for the students
- Fun way to see what books the students are reading
- Gain reading experience.
- More quizzes on books
- Reports
- Quiz glitches
February 19, 2019
Great Product with a Great Price Tag
Our school/district uses Accelerated Reader. Generally, it is used by Language Arts teachers, but it does help track reading and reading comprehension. Students are given goals to strive for each grading period and strive to reach that goal. There are many pros and cons for using Accelerated Reader but our students have used it for years and I don't see it going away any time soon.
- If used correctly, Accelerated Reader helps students grow with their reading comprehension and vocabulary skills. I advise teachers to have one on one conversations with students when setting goals (allow students to have input) so that the students are given more responsibility to achieve their own goals.
- Renaissance's online chat/customer service is outstanding. They can usually answer my questions and do so in an understandable manner. They seem to be willing to help and will follow through if necessary.
- There are many reports that Accelerated Reader administrators can use to help decipher the data created from their students taking Accelerated Reader quizzes.
- Lately, Accelerated Reader has been adding "New Reports" which would help single class users such as a teacher with one class. But for a person with administrative rights, it creates a bit of a hassle to get the information needed at times.
- Cost - Accelerated Reader is expensive. For the price paid, I feel Renaissance should include some features instead of having additional fees paid.
February 05, 2019
Renaissance Accelerated Reader 360 Review
I am using Renaissance Accelerated Reader in my first and second grade classroom. AR 360 is also being used by all other classrooms--4K-5th grade--in our building. Renaissance Accelerated Reader keeps my students motivated and eager to read and improve their reading skills and strategies. Renaissance AR is the perfect fit when using the Reading Workshop Daily 5 model. Children in my classroom begin every day with reading to themselves, taking comprehension and vocabulary quizzes, and working toward their goal. I have found my students take ownership of their reading and learning and have become much more independent. They challenge themselves and each other to continually grow and improve.
- Renaissance Accelerated Reader has great customer service support. They are clear, concise, and respond quickly. Their live chat support service is great.
- Renaissance Accelerated Reader is constantly adding new quizzes to their data base. They keep current with the most popular books that children currently read. They also have quizzes for the timeless classics.
- Renaissance Accelerated Reader has reports that provide data ranging from the number of words students have read to a students growth trajectory. This is helpful when planning lessons to work with children in small groups or independently.
- Renaissance allows me the capability to see real time quizzing data. This allows for me to monitor students' progress while also working with other children. I am able to my time efficiently and effectively.
- It was helpful--and quicker--when my students were able to log in to Accelerated Reader through the iPad app. Unfortunately, the app is not going to be supported. My students will still be able to use the iPad for quizzing and STAR assessments. It is just a couple of extra steps.
May 01, 2017
Love Accelerated Reader!
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I cannot remember a teaching day I didn't use Accelerated Reader (AR) over the last two decades of teaching so that probably makes me a pioneer of using the original programming! I feel AR has grown with my students and met their needs over the years. It is a great reading management and feedback system. I look forward to more upgrades and continued use in the future!
- Students gain immediate feedback on how they understood the content of their book through the questions asked about their reading.
- Students can monitor their own progress.
- Teachers have ready and useful information on student reading, plus a detailed book list of books completed.
- It would be useful if there were more options for a teacher to set up feedback for students. Like some preferences to point out to students their overall percent of questions answered correct for example.
- I think there could be more options on the bookshelf for students, perhaps even a "gamification" option so teachers could set it that students get certain acheivements for reading a specific number of books and/or staying at a certain percentage correct or higher, etc.
- I would like to see students be able to easily see their fiction vs. non-fiction reading progress, perhaps on their bookshelf.