The Fairfield County School Board, thanks to the direction of deputy superintendent for curriculum and instruction Claudia Edwards, approved the purchase of ThinkGate software assessment tool for nine weeks and for classroom assessment.

The tool will help the schools as they apply common core standards to grades kindergarten through second this year and to grades three through 12 next school year.

“The tool will give the opportunity to create assessments in preparation for the 2013-14 common core standards implementation at all grade levels,” said Edwards.

Board member Danielle Miller was concerned about changing software and how that might impact comparing student achievement over time.

Those doubts were minimized by superintendent J.R. Green and by Edwards.

Edwards called ThinkGate a rigorous assessment tool with more options for teachers and at a $7,000 savings from the current software being used.

Green agreed saying that this software should have some staying power from year to year in the district and be a feasible helpful learning tool.

It already is used in Lexington 1, Marlboro County and in Anderson District 5, a district from whom Fairfield has purchased curriculum material in the past.

Edwards said four other products were considered but that this one was deemed the best fit for the district.