TenMarks was bought by Amazon in 2013, but the website is being discontinued by the parent company in June 2019. Students have piloted and used the program for several years.

There has been no information as to why TenMarks is shutting down. An Amazon spokesperson has stated only that the company has “made the difficult decision to no longer offer this service after June 30, 2019.”

Mrs. Leslie Byrd, math department chairperson, said “It’s been an extremely useful tool. Our PARCC success can be attributed to TenMarks.”

Students use TenMarks as a tool to help learn and study math. It is approved as a Common Core study resource. Last year’s graduating class had an improved passing rate on PARCC, partially due to the use of the program. TenMarks is personalized to how each student learns. If a student has a hard time with algebra, the program will give them more assignments and help with that specific subject.

The program tracks time on task and completion rate. The assignments consist of 10 questions each. These questions range from multiple choice to drag and drop. If a student receives a grade lower than an 80%, they have the chance to re-do the assignment for a higher score.

Students have mixed feelings about using the program, “I do not like TenMarks because I think it is a waste of time. TenMarks doesn’t go through the steps of solving the problem with me. It takes away time from the teacher teaching me,”  said sophomore Christian Cacioppo.

What teachers love about TenMarks is its ability to help the students in the classroom, and they can practice any time at home. They also love how it gives hints and tips to help the students on whichever subject they may be struggling in. The website can be used for classwork, homework, or even quizzes.

Data has been collected on TenMarks which shows that students develop a better understanding of math through a process of repetitive problem solving. This means that if the students can go back and forth between problems, they will have an easier time learning and understanding that subject.

There is no replacement to fill in the gap that TenMarks is leaving behind. There is general speculation that the company will be sold.

President of the Maryland Council of  Supervisors of Mathmatics and FCPS Math Supervisor, Peter Cincotta said, “Students who use TenMarks on a regular basis tend to have a better understanding of mathematics. Fortunately, we have other math resources that challenge students.”