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Can We Predict Third-Grade Proficiency in Kindergarten? NWEA Research Says Yes

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New study examines early indicators that can help educators better support students before achievement disparities become harder to address

BOSTON, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Starting Kindergarten is a major milestone on a student’s academic path, but not all students have an equal starting point. Those early differences can have critical implications for whether students ultimately reach proficiency by third grade — a critical academic benchmark closely tied to long-term educational success.

NWEA, a K-12 assessment and research organization, released a new study today examining Kindergarten MAP Growth test scores from more than 400,000 U.S. students and noted patterns that can predict academic success or identify students at risk of falling further behind. This early identification is key for educators, enabling them to intervene and influence learning trajectories before the next critical milestone: third grade. A body of research shows that students who are not proficient in reading and math by the end of third grade are at higher risk of dropping out of high school or struggling academically throughout their education journey.

The new study found:

Students’ reading and math skills at kindergarten entry are strongly predictive of whether they reach proficiency by 3rd grade.For students who enter kindergarten scoring in the bottom 20%, the probability of reaching proficiency by 3rd grade is low, just over 1 in 10.For struggling students, the door to proficiency closes quickly. Just 1 in 50 students scoring in the bottom 20% in the spring of 1st grade reached proficiency by the end of 3rd grade.

Unfortunately, many states don’t have systems in place to identify students who may be off track in both math and reading before third grade, missing that critical window where trajectories can be addressed for those at risk.

“What our data highlighted is that achievement at Kindergarten entry provides a meaningful signal about later academic outcomes,” said Dr. Megan Kuhfeld, Director of Growth Modeling and Data Analytics at NWEA. “But I want to caution that these results should not be interpreted as evidence that students’ academic futures are predetermined. Adjusting trajectories is possible if early intervention is provided.”

That early identification is key as the door to proficiency quickly closes. For example, the study found that students in the bottom 20% at the beginning of Kindergarten, 1 in 10 reached proficiency in math, and 1 in 7 reached proficiency in reading by the end of third grade. For those students who were in the bottom 20% at the start of first grade, their chances of reaching proficiency dropped to about 1 in 20 for math and 1 in 17 for reading. By the end of first grade, those odds are even lower, to roughly 1 in 50 students reaching that third-grade milestone.

“While this brief looks at understanding who is at risk, we must also look at what it takes to get students back on track,” said Dr. Karyn Lewis, VP of Research and Policy Partnerships at NWEA. “Understanding the ‘what’ is key in helping educators and policymakers on how to design policies and supports that help more students reach those important academic milestones.”

The report is the first in a new NWEA research series examining pathways to third-grade proficiency and the role early intervention can play in helping students stay on track academically.

Read more at: https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/behind-at-the-starting-line-what-kindergarten-test-scores-tell-us-about-reaching-proficiency-in-3rd-grade/

About NWEA

NWEA®, a division of HMH, supports educators worldwide by providing responsive, evidence-based assessment solutions that illuminate learning needs and fuel student growth. For more than 40 years, NWEA has developed innovative pre-K–12 assessments, including its flagship assessment – MAP Growth, and professional learning that helps educators strengthen their practice and improve student outcomes. As part of its commitment to bring valuable insights to the education community, NWEA engages in research that examines issues that shed light on inequities and other barriers to academic opportunities. Visit NWEA.org to find out how NWEA partners to help all kids learn.

Contact: Simona Beattie, Communications Director, simona.beattie@nwea.org or 971.361.9526

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Speridian Technologies Launches FinOps for AI Offering to Help Enterprises Turn AI Investment into Measurable Efficiency and Growth

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– A framework that gives finance and engineering teams visibility, discipline and governance to capture AI’s efficiency gains at a time when AI spend is growing up to four times faster than the value enterprises realize from it –

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Speridian Technologies, a global consulting and technology services firm, today announced the launch of its FinOps for AI offering, a structured engagement model that helps organizations convert AI spending into measurable business efficiency, stronger margins and faster growth. The practice helps organizations answer “how do we control AI spend?” with a sharp focus on Token Cost Optimization (TCO): the discipline of tying every token consumed to the value it creates.

Across every sector, the mandate is the same: do more with less. AI has quickly become the most powerful tool to reach efficiency. But unlike flipping on a utility, AI is not unlimited or free. As organizations move beyond experimentation into full-scale production, the cost of running AI at scale is variable, often invisible and can grow exponentially as use cases multiply.

“In both the public and private sectors, organizations are discovering that scaling AI is fundamentally different from piloting it,” said Sourav Roy, vice president at Speridian. “Token consumption grows exponentially, costs become unpredictable, and finance teams are left without the visibility they need to connect spend to results. Our approach to FinOps brings the same discipline to AI that we brought to cloud infrastructure adoption a decade ago. This is about getting the most value from every dollar.”

Token consumption is highly variable, frequently invisible to finance teams, and can grow exponentially as AI spreads across the enterprise. Speridian’s framework targets four major cost drivers most enterprises overlook: input vs. output tokens, the modality premium, the model tier tax, and context window creep.

“What is needed is a structured, cross-functional approach that brings engineering and finance together to ensure AI spend translates into real value in an efficient manner,” continued Roy.

“Harnessing and realizing AI’s efficiency depends on a simple principle: you cannot improve what you cannot measure,” said Speridian’s Chief Executive Officer, Ali Hasan. “There is advantage when you track AI usage along with what it produces, and how efficiently it converts spend into value.”

Speridian’s approach addresses cost optimization across three layers: design-time optimization, run-time optimization, and governance. Within this framework, Speridian deploys six proven optimization techniques — spanning prompt optimization, semantic caching and intelligent model routing — to drive measurable savings.

Engagements are delivered in three phases:

Assess: baseline current AI spend, identify token waste, and surface quick wins.Optimize: implement caching, model routing and prompt improvements for measurable cost reduction.Govern: build ongoing FinOps capability — dashboards, policies, chargeback and team enablement.

“Government agencies and enterprises alike are investing significant resources in AI, but many need structure in place to manage spend at scale,” continued Hasan. “Our framework gives clients visibility into where every dollar is going, techniques to reduce waste and governance to scale initiatives confidently. This is how AI can become a measurable driver of efficiency and growth.”

About Speridian 

Speridian Technologies is a global consulting and technology services firm that helps enterprises and public sector organizations modernize operations, enhance customer experience and accelerate digital transformation through advisory, implementation and managed services. With deep industry expertise and capabilities spanning AI, automation, cloud, analytics and enterprise platforms, Speridian delivers outcome-focused solutions that drive measurable business value. For more information about all of Speridian’s services and solutions, please visit www.speridian.com

Contact:
Catherine Riedel
Chief Public Affairs Officer
312-209-0250
catherine.riedel@speridian.com

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Sungrow Launches SG510HX & MVS Turnkey Solution for Enhanced Utility-Scale PV Lifecycle Value

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MUNICH, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sungrow, the globally leading PV inverter and energy storage system (ESS) provider, unveiled the SG510HX & MVS Turnkey Solution at Intersolar Europe 2026. The solution integrates the SG510HX string inverter and the MVS7440-LV medium-voltage station in a native system architecture, reducing LCOE by up to 1% while delivering advanced safety and grid-forming capabilities, and ultimately enhancing lifecycle value for utility-scale PV plants.

Maximizing Lifecycle Value and Project Economics

The SG510HX inverter delivers a maximum output of 511.5 kW and achieves a 28% increase in power density, enabled by next-generation SiC devices, third-generation cooling technology, and high-performance magnetic materials. In parallel, AI-driven power optimization enhances active power delivery under grid-support scenarios, helping increase overall energy yield and project returns.Reducing BOS costs by up to USD 180,000 per 100 MW project, the solution minimizes investment in mounting structures, cables, and balance-of-system equipment by combining a long-string design, a 7.44 MW+ large-block architecture, and a 1000 V AC system.Delivering COD 15 days earlier for a typical 100 MW project, off-grid commissioning enables full system verification using PV power and eliminates the need for diesel generators. The MVS7440-LV is also delivered pre-installed and pre-commissioned, further reducing on-site integration effort.

From Device-Level Protection to System-Level Safety
The solution is built on a multi-layer safety and protection architecture designed to ensure reliable operation under all operating and environmental conditions.

Triple-layer Redundant DC Protection. The SG510HX inverter is equipped with Smart Shutdown Solution 3.0. Built on a mechanical switch and an electronic backup switching architecture, it rapidly interrupts fault current under extreme conditions, reducing backfeed risk. Primary and secondary intelligent trip switches ensure automatic disconnection during fault incidents. A Smart Lockout mechanism further enhances safety by ensuring reliable fault isolation and preventing unintended re-energization before faults are cleared.  All-Condition Lightning Protection Across the Entire Lifecycle. Unlike conventional designs focused mainly on standby states, Sungrow’s approach extends protection across the entire project lifecycle, including construction, standby, and grid-connected operation, validated through CGC certification testing.

In addition, this solution enables bidirectional communication and coordinated protection during insulation faults or temperature anomalies, allowing real-time information sharing and system-level response to enhance overall safety. In contrast, conventional standalone architectures rely on independent device-level responses, which may result in delayed or uncoordinated protection and a higher risk of fault escalation.

Grid-Forming for Stable Operation Across Grid Conditions
As power systems evolve with higher renewable penetration, grid strength varies widely across regions, requiring technologies that ensure stability under diverse conditions. Powered by Sungrow’s grid-forming technology, this solution enhances grid stability through flexible inertia support (<5 ms) to reduce fluctuations, instant reactive power response for stronger voltage support, and millisecond-level damping control across the 0.1–100 Hz range to suppress oscillations and minimize protection-related shutdown risks.

Smart O&M for Simplified Lifecycle Management
The SG510HX & MVS Turnkey Solution streamlines deployment and reduces O&M complexity across the project lifecycle. One-click remote configuration enables fast parameter validation and simplified commissioning, while Smart IV Diagnosis 2.0 allows full-site inspection via a laptop without dedicated servers, lowering operational costs. AI-driven duct cleaning automatically removes dust and blockages through airflow reversal, reducing manual maintenance. Integrated cold-shrink cable termination and a dust- and insect-resistant design further minimize installation and upkeep effort.

The solution reflects the utility-scale solar sector’s shift toward improved lifecycle economics and higher operational efficiency, where system-level integration is key to reliable and cost-effective power delivery. Backed by full-stack R&D capabilities, Sungrow continues to advance integrated solutions for global utility-scale PV deployment.

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Americans embrace AI and social discovery, but trust still determines how they buy, reveals ESW Signals report

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47% of US consumers are comfortable using AI for price comparison, while only 24% are comfortable with AI-powered payments45% of Americans discover products through social media, but only 27% trust social commerce checkout experiences39% of US consumers say discretionary spending has decreased over the past year, compared with 31% who say it has increasedHalf of US consumers who feel unconfident about their household finances are trading down to cheaper options, compared with 14% of financially confident shoppers

NEW YORK, June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — US consumers are continuing to spend, but growing differences in financial confidence are reshaping how Americans shop, pay and engage online, according to new data from ESW, the international growth engine for ambitious brands.

ESW works with internationally recognized brands, helping them scale through trusted, localized ecommerce experiences across global markets.

The findings form part of the global launch of ESW Signals, ESW’s new insights platform exploring evolving consumer behavior and international commerce trends worldwide.

US consumers are most comfortable with AI when it improves convenience or helps find value, with 47% open to AI-led price comparison and 44% to AI-powered deal finding. Only 24% are comfortable with AI-powered payments, while just 10% say they would allow AI-led auto-replenishment.

Millennials and Gen Z consumers are significantly more open to conversational AI shopping, at 34% and 29% respectively, compared with just 8% of Boomers.

Social platforms continue to play a growing role in how Americans discover products online, with 45% of Americans using social media to discover products, rising to 76% among Gen Z shoppers. However, only 27% trust social commerce checkout experiences. Trust in influencer recommendations is also highly generational, with 43% of Gen Z shoppers saying they trust influencers, compared with 11% of Boomers.

US ecommerce behavior remains anchored in retailer-controlled channels, with 37% preferring to shop directly through brand or retailer websites, compared with 7% who prefer shopping mainly via social platforms. Among Boomers, preference for retailer websites rises to 52%.

The survey of almost 24,000 consumers found that 39% of US consumers say discretionary spending has decreased over the past year, compared with 31% who say it has increased. Half of consumers who feel unconfident about their household finances say they are trading down to cheaper options, compared with 14% of financially confident shoppers.

Regional differences are visible across the data, with consumers in the West less likely to be trading down to cheaper alternatives (19%) than those in the Midwest and South (26%).

International shopping remains relatively limited across the US market, with only 12% of consumers purchasing from overseas retailers frequently, while 23% say they never shop internationally online. More than half (51%) say long delivery times discourage international purchases, while 49% cite shipping costs and 39% point to fraud or legitimacy concerns. Consumers in the West are the most internationally engaged, while those in the Midwest and Northeast are more likely to be deterred by delivery costs, shipping friction and trust concerns. The US also remains resistant to paid returns models, with 35% saying they would avoid retailers introducing small return fees.

Payment trust remains concentrated in traditional methods, with cards the dominant and most trusted payment method and PayPal consistently ranking second. One in five US consumers have used BNPL services in the past year, rising to 31% among Millennials, although BNPL remains one of the least trusted payment methods for international purchases.

Recommerce is also gaining traction among younger consumers with 25% of Gen Z consumers now buying second-hand items frequently, while cost continues to outweigh sustainability as the primary motivation purchasing.

The US findings also reflect broader trends identified across the global ESW Signals report. While US consumers remain comparatively cautious and value-focused, markets across the Middle East and Asia are showing significantly stronger spending momentum, with 67% and 61% of consumers respectively reporting increased discretionary spending.

Consumers in the Middle East also show materially higher openness to AI-powered shopping and social commerce checkout experiences, while European and North American consumers remain more cautious and trust-oriented at the point of purchase.

Eric Eichmann, CEO, ESW, commented on the launch of the report: “The findings of our ESW Signals report show that US consumers are willing to embrace new ways of discovering products and finding value. Nearly half are comfortable using AI for price comparison and 45% discover products through social media, but confidence drops sharply when those experiences move closer to checkout and payment.

But not all US consumers are behaving the same way. Our data shows that consumers in the West are generally more open to new shopping behaviors, while much of the Midwest remains more cautious and value focused. Consumers in the West continue to show greater openness to social commerce, AI and international shopping, but trust, transparency and reliability still matter across every region.

That gap between growing openness to new shopping experiences and continued caution at the point of purchase is becoming increasingly important globally as ecommerce growth accelerates in markets across the Middle East and Asia, where consumers are showing stronger spending momentum and greater openness to new digital shopping behaviors. For American brands expanding internationally, the opportunity is significant, but so is the need to adapt to different customer expectations market by market.”

About ESW
ESW is the international growth engine for ambitious brands. We absorb the complexity of cross-border commerce — payments, compliance, duties, localization, shipping and returns — so brands can grow globally with confidence. Our enterprise-grade platform is built for scale but configurable for the world’s most complex brands. We architect end-to-end international operations across 200+ markets that fit each brand’s exact needs, removing the operational and compliance risk that stands between ambition and growth. 

ESW Signals Methodology
ESW Signals 2026 is based on over 23,000 interviews across 18 markets in Q1 2026. The study examines consumer behavior across discretionary spending, international shopping, payments, social commerce, AI and ecommerce experience expectations. The report combines consumer survey research with ESW’s aggregated transaction data and expert perspectives on international ecommerce. Survey data shows where consumer expectations are shifting; ESW transaction data shows where those expectations affect checkout behavior, payment performance and cross-border conversion. https://esw.com/resources/signals

Media contact:

Conor Sheridan
conor.sheridan@edelman.com 
+353 86 031 0800

 

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