In this Entrepreneur Spotlight we are focusing on another one of the startups selected for the 2016 AccelerateBaltimore program – ClassTracks. ClassTracks is a blended learning platform for foreign language classrooms that helps teachers and students spend less time on drills and more time on communicating and speaking the language. The company was founded in 2014 and is currently based in Baltimore, working out of the ETC (Emerging Technology Centers).
We interviewed Lida Zlatic, CEO and one of the three co-founders of ClassTracks, on how she got the idea for this startup and what types of challenges and successes she and the team are experiencing.
1. Where did the idea for ClassTracks come from?
I’ve always been interested in tech, and as a middle school Spanish teacher in Baltimore City I was really interested in using my knowledge and interest to help my students. The math teacher in my building was using blended learning (blending online and in-person learning to create a more personalized experience for each student) and having a lot of success, so I was curious to try it in my classroom. As I learned more about blended learning, I realized that the foreign language classroom was a perfect use case: students could use technology to more efficiently learn the vocabulary and grammar, and teachers could spend class time engaging students in practice that builds communication skills with the building blocks they learned online. The problem was that there was no platform that would do what I just described efficiently for a foreign language classroom. I quit teaching and, by chance, went to a startup weekend education where I pitched my idea and met my two co-founders: Jamel and Thierry. Jamel was a foreign language teacher that had encountered the same problem and had come up with the same idea. Thierry was a brilliant engineer who wanted to apply his skills to solve a big problem in education using technology.
2. What was the biggest issue that you were seeing in the classroom that made you feel a need for a change and the need to start ClassTracks?
In a nutshell: the way we have been teaching foreign language for at least the last 100 years doesn’t work. Almost every high school in the US has a foreign language program, yet only 1% of US adults can speak a language that they studied in school. The reason our students aren’t able to speak a language after studying it for years in middle or high school is that we don’t give them enough meaningful opportunities to practice speaking it. We spend so much time making sure that students have memorized vocab and grammar that we barely get to the really important part: helping them learn to put everything together and express themselves in the language.
There’s also this big opportunity gap in foreign language education where we expect that the only way to learn a language is to travel – and only wealthy families can afford that option. Adults who can speak a second language have higher lifetime earnings and more career opportunities. If we’re going to talk about equity and helping our students gain the skills they’ll need to succeed in a 21st century workplace, we have to find a way to get students those skills in the classes they’re already taking.
3. What has been your biggest surprise in starting this business?
The biggest surprise has been the level of support from the community here in Baltimore and in edtech in general. I don’t have an MBA and I didn’t know anything about starting a business when I left teaching. Over the past year and a half there have been so many mentors and peers who have stepped up to help me figure things out – it’s incredible. I didn’t know this community existed before I started ClassTracks.
4. What is a real world example of how ClassTracks has helped students in the classroom with learning foreign languages?
There are about 50 teachers using ClassTracks with their students around the US (and even one in China!). Here’s what some of them are saying:
“I’ve never seen [students] so willingly review vocab before, whether using Quizlet, flashcards, or anything else. They did well on their quizzes…and our overall score distribution is lower than it’s been in the past.” – Moss, Latin Teacher
“It’s fun and easy to use and my grades have SHOT up since I have started using ClassTracks.” – Henry, 7th grade student
5. What milestones do you hope to achieve in 2016?
By the end of 2016 we expect to have 50,000 students using our platform. We’re obviously keeping track of student outcomes as we go, but the really interesting metric will come in June 2017, when those 50,000 complete their foreign language class. We’re working with our teachers to increase expectations for their students, meaning that by June those students should be well ahead of where previous cohorts were at the end of the year. We’re hoping to disrupt the way schools, parents, and students think about language class and make it not just possible, but expected, that after a year of taking a language, students can communicate with native speakers. After 2 years, students should be able to express even complex ideas fluently. The ClassTracks platform makes this vision possible, and we need to work closely with teachers and schools to make it a reality.
About ClassTracks
ClassTracks is a language web tool that uses a game-like interface to help students better acquire and retain language skills. ClassTracks allows teachers to spend less time on vocabulary and more time using the target language in the classroom. Teachers can use our product to assign homework, track student progress, and gain insight into maximizing lesson plans.
About Evergreen Advisors
Evergreen Advisors is a boutique middle market investment bank and corporate advisory firm focused on servicing organizations throughout their financial lifecycles to drive successful outcomes. Serving the Mid-Atlantic region including Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania, Evergreen Advisors, was formed in 2001 to provide innovative and strategic solutions to meet our clients’ evolving business needs.
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