How Lake Arthur Municipal Schools Is Leveraging Horizon Education for SAT Prep Success
See how Horizon Education helped Lake Arthur Municipal Schools to achieve an ~80% growth in student SAT scores from the middle to the end of the year.
At Lake Arthur Municipal Schools in New Mexico, academic growth is a top priority. Superintendent Elisa Begueria and Principal Karol Rodriguez have been using Horizon Education's tools to support students' SAT preparation for several years, and the results are promising. We recently spoke with both leaders about their experience with Horizon, the value it brings to their students, and how it has impacted their overall SAT prep strategy.
Superintendent Begueria shared that she discovered Horizon through a Google search while looking for secondary assessment tools to prepare students for college readiness exams. "I was googling, looking for a secondary assessment like the SAT to expose students," she said. After reaching out to Horizon, the partnership was quickly formed, though implementation had to be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, Horizon has become a critical part of Lake Arthur's district-wide assessment strategy. The school uses Horizon's benchmark assessments for grades 9 through 12, ensuring that students are familiar with the SAT's format and rigor. These assessments are administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the year to track progress and guide instruction.
Building Student Confidence and Familiarity with the SAT
Both noted how Horizon has helped familiarize students with the SAT. "They take it a little easier because they're used to the format of the questions," Principal Rodriguez remarked. She emphasized how valuable this exposure is, making students more comfortable with the process when they sit for the official exam.
Lake Arthur Municipal Schools uses data from Horizon’s benchmark assessments to inform instructional strategies. Teachers use the item analysis feature to identify the most challenging concepts for students, which they incorporate into daily lessons and bell work. "It’s using it as a tool for instruction," Principal Rodriguez explained.
Improvements in Student Performance
The district has seen an ~80% growth in student scores from the middle to the end of last year. "Our reading has improved," she shared, although math remains an area of focus due to staffing challenges in previous years.
Superintendent Begueria added that one of Horizon’s greatest strengths is its ability to support the district’s commitment to progress monitoring across all grade levels, even though the state of New Mexico does not provide interim assessments for high school students. "We want the same accountability and support for all our teachers, and that involves high school," she said. Horizon fills a crucial gap in the district’s assessment strategy, ensuring that teachers have the data they need to drive instruction and close learning gaps.
User-Friendly for Teachers and Students
One of the standout features of Horizon, according to Principal Rodriguez, is how user-friendly it is. She noted how seamless the platform integration is with Google Classroom, making it simple for both teachers and students to access. "Even students that aren’t tech-savvy can get it," she said, highlighting the platform’s accessibility.
She also appreciated how easy it is for teachers to access data, especially the item analysis reports. "Once you get to see the reports, I love how interactive they are and the data they show," she said, emphasizing how these insights help teachers tailor their instruction.
A Bright Future Ahead
As Lake Arthur Municipal Schools continues to refine its approach to SAT prep, Horizon remains a key partner in their efforts to ensure that every student is prepared for post-secondary success. Superintendent Begueria and Principal Rodriguez praised Horizon’s customer support and ease of use, with Principal Rodriguez noting how the rollover of students from year to year has made managing the platform "glorious."
With a solid assessment strategy in place and a focus on continuous improvement, Lake Arthur Municipal Schools is well-positioned to help its students excel on the SAT and beyond.
