ITASCA, Ill., March 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riverside Insights, a leading provider of trusted, research-backed assessments, today announced the acquisition of Move This World, a proactive behavioral and mental health platform serving PreK–12 school communities. The acquisition expands Riverside Insights’ ability to address student needs across all three tiers of instruction and advances its mission to grow the potential in every student.
By bringing together The DESSA®, Riverside Insights’ evidence-based system for screening, assessment, and progress monitoring, with Move This World’s engaging PreK–12 instructional content, Riverside Insights is strengthening the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) many districts already rely on. Together, The DESSA and Move This World connect measurement, instruction, and student support within a unified framework, aligning screening, instruction, intervention, and progress monitoring so educators can translate insight into action across Tiers 1, 2, and 3.
“Districts are facing unprecedented student mental health and behavioral needs while working with limited time and staff,” said Vivek Kartha, CEO of Riverside Insights. “Leaders need systems that help them identify challenges earlier and respond in ways that are both proactive and precise. By extending our capabilities in mental health and behavioral support, we are helping districts connect trusted assessment insight to daily instruction and deliver clearer evidence of impact across their systems.”
The DESSA is the only student resilience system proven to drive student success in school and beyond. Designed to help educators understand and strengthen students’ social and emotional competencies, the system supports screening, assessment, and progress monitoring so schools can identify needs earlier and track growth over time. A Johns Hopkins research study found that one tier of growth in DESSA resilience skills yields a full school year of academic gains. As part of Riverside Insights’ portfolio of trusted assessments, The DESSA reflects the company’s commitment to psychometrically rigorous, clinically validated tools that give educators clear insight into what each student needs next.
Move This World complements that foundation with proactive behavioral and mental health programming delivered through short, engaging, participatory multimedia experiences for students, staff, and families. Its MTSS-aligned platform supports universal instruction, targeted skill development, and alignment with Tier 3 and clinical partners when needed. Content and interventions launch directly from a browser window and require no additional preparation, making daily implementation practical in busy classrooms.
Together, the integrated system will strengthen continuity across tiers. Universal experiences, targeted supports, and intensive interventions will be intentionally connected rather than siloed. District leaders will gain clear visibility into implementation and student growth through aligned reporting tools, supporting more informed decisions and improved outcomes.
“When engaging experiences that help students build emotional and behavioral skills are combined with meaningful insights from assessments, educators gain a clearer understanding of what students need and how to support them,” said Sara Potler LaHayne, Founder and CEO of Move This World, who will join Riverside Insights to lead the Behavioral and Mental Health vertical as part of the acquisition. “Together, these approaches help schools identify challenges earlier, strengthen the skills students need to succeed, and create learning environments where every student can thrive.”
As Riverside Insights expands its capabilities in behavioral health and support, its focus remains clear: reduce fragmentation, strengthen continuity of care, and equip educators with the clarity needed to support every learner with confidence.
Districts interested in learning more about this expanded offering are encouraged to visit https://riversideinsights.com/
About Riverside Insights
Riverside Insights is a leading provider of trusted, research-backed assessments that bring the clarity needed to help every student grow. With over 14 million students assessed annually, Riverside Insights’ tools pinpoint every student’s unique needs and reveal what each learner needs next. The company supports early learners, multilingual learners, gifted learners and students receiving specialized services through psychometrically rigorous and clinically validated assessments that measure cognitive abilities, reasoning, communication, early development and life skills. Riverside Insights equips educators to support every learner with confidence through independent, curriculum-agnostic tools designed to guide effective instruction and promote meaningful growth. For more information, visit https://riversideinsights.com/.
About Move This World
Move This World is a proactive and preventative mental and behavioral health platform for students, staff, and families in PreK-12. Its easy-to-implement and MTSS aligned programs deliver thousands of engaging and participatory multimedia experiences that create a common language, support social emotional development, and build stronger school communities where learning thrives. Move This World’s evidence-based results have impacted the lives of over 4 million students across 45 states and 9 countries. Visit https://www.movethisworld.com/ for more information.
Media Contact
Sophia Lammers
VP of Clinical Marketing, Riverside Insights
sophia.lammers@riversideinsights.com
