Case study
Rebuilding Students’ Confidence in Math
The Science School for Exploration and Discovery in the Bronx builds trust with students and improves math outcomes using Smartschool.
Overview
At the Science School for Exploration and Discovery (SSED) in the Bronx, students have different ways of learning, come from many backgrounds, and speak many languages. Some students come in with deep learning gaps that go back as far as 3 years. For Academic Dean, Barrington Henry, and 8th grade math teacher, Luis Brioso Luciano, their mission is to create a safe space where every student feels seen, supported, and capable of success.
The Challenge
At SSED, students may come in feeling unsure, disconnected, or like no one has noticed their needs. As a response, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) prioritized the following:
Social-emotional learning (SEL) - helping students feel emotionally safe, connected, and motivated to learn
Strong, relationship-driven leadership - empowering teachers to build trust through care, consistency, and clarity
However, in practice, teachers are faced with classes of 30+ students with diverse needs and can’t give each student the one-on-one support they need.
“If my students don’t understand what I’m saying, I want them to at least know that I care about them regardless of how well they do in my class.” - Luis Brioso Luciano, 8th Grade Math Teacher
Implementation
Mr. Luciano is one of the teachers who used Smartschool in his classes with hopes of connecting with more of his students.
Smartschool in the classroom
Homework - to provide 24/7 support in their preferred language at home
Classroom Practice - to guide students with hints and help them solve math problems
Intervention - to facilitate independent work while Mr. Luciano provided targeted support
Assessments - to deliver tests and quizzes with auto-grading and easy tracking
“I used to spend hours translating and printing. Now, I just publish my assignments on Smartschool, and the AI tutor supports my students in any language they speak.” - Luis Brioso Luciano, 8th Grade Math Teacher
The Reconnection
Smartschool helped reconnect students with math, with their teacher, and with learning itself.
Together, these reconnection points are what NYSED’s vision for education calls for. Smartschool is helping students feel safe, supported, and emotionally engaged in their learning.
Results
Mr. Luciano’s students completed 3,000+ hours of math learning and showed clear signs of growth.
Classes
Algebra I Class 1: 1,706 Hours of Learning and 79% Score Improvement Thanks to AI
Algebra I Class 2: 1,486 Hours of Learning and 84% Score Improvement Thanks to AI
Regents Geometry: 295 Hours of Learning and 145% Score Improvement Thanks to AI
These results show that students are feeling more confident, try harder, and learn more. “They’re not just clicking buttons to copy the right answer. They’re learning and wanting to improve. They’re recognizing that there is a way to get the correct answer,” Mr. Luciano explains.
Luis Brios Luciano
8th Grade Math Teacher Science School for Discovery and Exploration
Key Outcomes
Building Confidence - Students report being more confident that they can succeed in math
3,000+ learning hours completed by students with the help of AI tutor
102% average score improvement thanks to AI tutor
Breaking Down Language Barriers - Multilingual support allowed every students to learn in their language