Early literacy is the foundation of academic success and predicts outcomes far beyond elementary school. So when only 30% of 3rd graders in New York City public schools scored proficient on the state test in 2014, district leaders began targeting improvements in literacy instruction in grades K-2. In 2016, the New York City Department of Education…

"Setting the Foundation: A Report on Elementary Grades Reading in Tennessee" (ED572952) provides insight into the challenges associated with early grades reading in Tennessee, along with a set of recommendations for building more readers across the state. This appendix provides detailed information about reading programs in Tennessee…

Students learn or progress at their own paces. Each needs different amounts of support, at different points in a school career and at different times of the school year. Some need very little help to stay on track, while others are facing serious challenges in learning, in their behavior, or at home, and need significant interventions. It would…

This guide is designed to facilitate self-studies of planning and implementation of state-required summer reading camp programs for grade 3 students who scored at the lowest level on the state reading assessment. It provides a template for data collection and guiding questions for discussion that may improve instruction and increase the number of…

When attempting to determine if an intervention has a causal impact, the "gold standard" of program evaluation is the randomized controlled trial (RCT). In education studies random assignment is rarely feasible at the student level, making RCTs harder to conduct. School-level assignment is more common but this often requires considerable resources…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Striving Readers Act Introduced in the House: Act Mirrors Legislation Introduced in the Senate in March; (2) "Understanding…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Four More Years: Bush to Focus on High Schools During Second Term; (2) Education Funding Still in Limbo: Congress to…

Reading motivation, reading promotion, free voluntary reading, or recreational reading is an activity that most library media specialists consider a vital part of the school library media program. According to Dr. Michael Eisenberg, co-founder of the Big6[TM] research model, reading is how one ensures that students are effective and efficient…

This paper presents an evaluation of the Hardin, Montana, School District's Right to Read program. Short descriptions of the results of the evaluation are presented for the areas of paragraph meaning, word meaning, interest/attitude, basic approach, instructional technique, student grouping, availability and skill of reading teachers, nonclassroom…

Standardized test scores can not give a complete picture of the effectiveness of reading programs--and they are no help in telling what to do about poor results. But here's a book that describes a comprehensive assessment system that analyzes both student performance and the elements of reading programs. Learn how to use schoolwide action research…

The Chicago Public Schools have been developing and implementing a citywide instructional program of continuous progress/mastery learning in reading. It includes the delineation of a K-8 continuum of instructional objectives; a criterion-referenced testing program which serves as the basis for instruction, promotion, and administrative monitoring;…

Simple Bayesian approaches can be applied to answer specific questions in evaluating an individualized reading program. A small reading and study skills program located in the counseling center of a major research university collected and compiled data on student characteristics such as class, number of sessions attended, grade point average, and…

Describes a Washington school district's eight-step process leading to the adoption of a districtwide reading program. Includes data collection, research analysis, skill tracing, and field-testing. (PKP)

The public is deeply concerned that students in urban settings are not achieving at high levels. Over the past twenty years, large urban districts have attempted to restructure massive school systems using educational policymaking processes that have focused on school structures, standards-driven curriculum, and test-based accountability measures.…

Two examples of CBT which demonstrate unique design characteristics without gimmicks are described. The first is an example from Northern States Power Company (NSP), an electric and gas utility. The second details implementation of a language arts unit by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium in a public school seting. (JEG)