Setting
The students attend schools in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) district.
Study sample
Student characteristics for each of the samples of interest for the review were:
(1) analytic group 5 - for comparison sample, 50% female, 64% African American, 32% Hispanic, 97% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 50% female, 54% African American, 40% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL
(2) analytic group 6 - for comparison sample, 49% female, 69% African American, 27% Hispanic, 97% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 43% female, 59% African American, 38% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL
(3) analytic group 7- for comparison sample, 50% female, 62% African American, 34% Hispanic, 97% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 49% female, 51% African American, 43% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL
(4) analytic group 8 - for comparison sample, 49% female, 72% African American, 23% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 42% female, 61% African American, 37% Hispanic, 99% eligible for FRPL
(5) analytic group 9 - for comparison sample, 55% female, 72% African American, 23% Hispanic, 97% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 48% female, 64% African American, 30% Hispanic, 94% eligible for FRPL
(6) analytic group 10 - for comparison sample, 43% female, 81% African American, 17% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL; for intervention sample, 47% female, 75% African American, 21% Hispanic, 98% eligible for FRPL
Intervention Group
There are three components to the Striving Readers intervention:
1) Whole-school blended intervention: a 90-minute instructional model in ELA classes and 45-minute model in subject-area classes which incorporate whole and small group work. Each classroom is supported by listening centers, media centers, and handheld computers. Key approaches include direct and explicit vocabulary instruction based on Building Academic Vocabulary; partner reading for fluency, comprehension and vocabulary development; word study based on Words Their Way; and Striving Readers text sets related to subject-area content.
2) Targeted intervention consists of differentiated instruction and scaffolding with the regular ELA class.
3) Intensive intervention is built around the Achieving Maximum Potential (AMP) literacy program and includes 1 hour per day for 4 days per week (240 extra minutes/week) of customized instruction for small (3-4 students) homogenous groups during after-school classes. Intensive intervention includes more frequent assessment and adjustment of instruction and highly motivating reading materials integrated with technology and audio.
Comparison Group
Authors note that comparison schools have been implementing interventions for their struggling readers that are similar to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions of the Striving Readers program. Some comparison schools also have literacy coaches that do many, although not all, of the same activities as the coaches in the two interventions. About three-quarters of the comparison schools reported offering on-site literacy programs that provided additional instructional time before or after school. However, only one-fourth of the schools target this activity to struggling readers .
Support for implementation
Teachers participated in a 5-day summer institute. In years 3 and 4, both cohorts of teachers participated in 3-day summer institutes. In addition there were 3-hour follow-up institutes conducted quarterly and 5 Saturday seminars. Literacy Intervention Teachers participated in weekly training sessions during years 1 to 3 and bi-weekly training sessions during year 4.