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.

D.C. Opportunity Scholarships

Congressional Democrats who oppose opportunity scholarships have killed the program in place in D.C. They did it via wording inserted in the 2009 budget law at the last minute. The Washington Post editorialized against the deed:

...Many [Congressional] Democrats have never liked vouchers, and it seems they won't let fairness or the interests of low-income, minority children stand in the way of their politics. But it also seems they're too ashamed -- and with good reason -- to admit to what they're doing....House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) was right to call out the Democrats for this back-door attempt to kill the voucher program. The attention should embarrass congressional Democrats into doing the right thing. If not, city leaders, including D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), need to let President Obama know that some 1,800 poor children are likely to have their educations disrupted.

Additional insights are available from DC opportunity-scholarship advocate Virginia Walden Ford.