Reading First in California

The "Year 6 Report" from Educational Data Systems looks at more than 800 California schools that have received Reading First money since 2003. The report measured student achievement using scores on California's standards-based tests. The Reading First schools had "significantly higher gains" than a control group. The gains persisted into grade 5, even though Reading First funding is only in K-3. English-language learners as well as native speakers had higher achievement in California's Reading First schools. The Report includes a meta-analysis of the effect of Reading First which indicates the overall efficacy of the program.

Here are the first six out of a total of fourteen findings in the Report:

Finding #1: Reading First has had a significant impact on student achievement in California.
Reading First schools have grown significantly since the inception of the program. They have grown significantly more than a statistical control group and significantly more than non-Reading First schools. High implementing schools have grown significantly more than low implementing schools....
Finding #2: The Reading First effect is meaningful....
Finding #3: Growth remains significant....
Finding #4: The Reading First effect generalizes across student performance levels.
Students in all performance levels show a boost from Reading First implementation. The advantage over non-Reading First schools is especially pronounced for students in the “Below or Far Below Basic” categories. On the grades 2-5 California Standards Test (CST) achievement metrics, the migration of students into “Proficient and Above” is matched or exceeded by a migration of students out of “Below or Far Below Basic”. The migration of students out of “Below and Far Below Basic” is more than twice what it is for non-Reading First schools....
Finding #5: Reading First significantly impacts grade 4 and grade 5 performance....
Finding #6: The Reading First effect generalizes to English learners.
English learners in Reading First schools show higher rates of growth than English learners in non-Reading First schools across the state....

Hat tip to "Curriculum Matters" blog.