Evaluation Report/Impact Study: Virginia Striving Readers Intervention Initiative (VSRII) [Passport Reading Journeys vs. business as usual]
Schenck, Allen; Jurich, Sonia; Frye, Michael; Lammert, Jill; Sayko, Sarah (2012). RMC Research Corporation. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED600907
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examining701Students, grades7-8
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: September 2021
- Practice Guide (findings for Passport Reading Journeys)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) English/Reading Assessment |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Full sample. 7th and 8th grade students;
|
400.10 |
398.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Total |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th and 8th grade students;
|
503.60 |
502.70 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Total |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
500.20 |
497.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) English/Reading Assessment |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
401.60 |
393.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) English/Reading Assessment |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
399.20 |
402.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Total |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
507.80 |
509.00 |
No |
-- | ||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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9% English language learners -
Female: 45%
Male: 55% -
Urban
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Virginia
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Race Black 69% Other or unknown 32%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in nine middle schools in three urban school districts in Virginia during the 2010–11 school year. All of the schools were Title I schools that had not made or were at risk of not making adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. The Striving Readers grant program funded the study.
Study sample
The study authors randomly assigned 918 seventh- or eighth-grade students who met the eligibility criteria for the study to the intervention group or to the comparison group. The random assignment was conducted separately within each grade and school. The study examined the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT) comprehension outcome for 279 intervention and 289 comparison students and the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) general literacy achievement outcome for 342 intervention and 358 comparison students. For both outcome measures, attrition was within the acceptable threshold for the review: the overall attrition rate was between 24% and 38%, and the differential attrition rate was between 1 and 5 percentage points. Seventh- or eighth-grade students enrolled in study schools were eligible for the study if they met at least one of the following conditions based on their test scores from the previous school year: (1) received a score on the GMRT that was equivalent to at least two years below their current grade level, or (2) did not reach the passing score on the Virginia SOL assessment. Students were excluded from the study if they had an individualized education program or if their parents requested that they be excluded. Nine full-time teachers, one in each of the nine schools, each delivered the intervention to two to six different classes. Of the students subject to random assignment, 53% of students were seventh graders, 47% were eighth graders, 45% were female, 69% were African-American, 24% had a disability, 88% were eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program, and 9% were English learners.
Intervention Group
The study examined the effectiveness of a reading intervention for students struggling with reading. Students in the intervention group received the Passport Reading Journeys program over the course of the 2010–11 school year. This supplemental intervention involved daily, 50-minute lessons in reading skills related to science or social studies. The lessons were organized into 15 ten-lesson expedition sequences, each two weeks long. The lessons included both teacher-led instruction and students' independent practice. Lessons typically started with whole-group instruction in which students were introduced to new vocabulary and a new reading passage. Then students could individually practice vocabulary using an online technology component, VocabJourney, or select books for independent reading from an online library of text selections, ReadingScape. Teachers also worked intensively with students in need of specific instruction during independent and paired reading time. Class size ranged from five to 21 students.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group received the instruction in English language arts (ELA) that was already available in their schools and elective or enrichment classes that did not provide any supplemental literacy instruction. The standard ELA instruction was available to both the intervention and comparison groups.
Support for implementation
The professional development and support included a launch training, online product training, coursework on adolescent literacy, and ongoing consultation. The intervention teachers also attended professional development training sessions, including online modules. In particular, they were required to attend 50 hours of professional development over the course of the school year, 30 of which were offered through web-based modules. In addition, trained experts from the developer, Cambium Learning Group, offered face-to-face professional development activities and coaching for intervention teachers. The launch training, the online product training, and the online support are included in the cost of the standard program package. The coursework, professional development training, and coaching was conducted at additional cost to school districts or schools.
Passport Reading Journeys Intervention Report - Adolescent Literacy
Review Details
Reviewed: November 2019
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for Passport Reading Journeys.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th and 8th grade students;
|
504.20 |
502.70 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Comprehension subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
498.40 |
491.80 |
Yes |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
501.40 |
497.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Vocabulary subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
498.60 |
495.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Vocabulary subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th and 8th grade students;
|
502.80 |
501.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Comprehension subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th and 8th grade students;
|
499.70 |
498.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Vocabulary subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
508.20 |
507.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
508.00 |
509.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (GMRT): Comprehension subtest |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
501.60 |
505.30 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Standards of Learning English/Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th and 8th grade students;
|
401.30 |
398.20 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Standards of Learning English/Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
8th grade students;
|
401.10 |
393.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Standards of Learning English/Reading Test |
Passport Reading Journeys vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
7th grade students;
|
401.80 |
402.40 |
No |
-- | ||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
8% English language learners -
Female: 45%
Male: 56% -
Urban
-
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
- T
- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
- h
- i
- b
- d
- e
- f
- c
- g
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- x
- w
- y
Virginia
-
Race Black 68% Other or unknown 32%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in nine middle schools in three urban school districts in Virginia during the 2010–11 school year. All of the schools were Title I schools that had not made or were at risk of not making adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act. The Striving Readers grant program funded the study.
Study sample
The study authors randomly assigned 918 seventh- or eighth-grade students who met the eligibility criteria for the study to the intervention group or to the comparison group. The random assignment was conducted separately within each grade and school. The study examined the GMRT comprehension outcome for 279 intervention and 289 comparison students and the Virginia SOL general literacy achievement outcome for 342 intervention and 358 comparison students. For both outcome measures, attrition was within the acceptable threshold for the review: the overall attrition rate was between 24% and 38%, and the differential attrition rate was between 1 and 5 percentage points. Seventh- or eighth-grade students enrolled in study schools were eligible for the study if they met at least one of the following conditions based on their test scores from the previous school year: (1) received a score on the GMRT that was equivalent to at least two years below their current grade level, or (2) did not reach the passing score on the Virginia SOL assessment. Students were excluded from the study if they had an individualized education program or if their parents requested that they be excluded. Nine full-time teachers, one in each of the nine schools, each delivered the intervention to two to six different classes. Of the students subject to random assignment, 53% of students were seventh graders, 47% were eighth graders, 45% were female, 69% were African-American, 24% had a disability, 88% were eligible for the free or reduced-price lunch program, and 9% were English learners.
Intervention Group
Students in the intervention group received the Passport Reading Journeys program over the course of the 2010–11 school year. This supplemental intervention involved daily, 50-minute lessons in reading skills related to science or social studies. The lessons were organized into 15 ten-lesson expedition sequences, each two weeks long. The lessons included both teacher-led instruction and students' independent practice. Lessons typically started with whole-group instruction in which students were introduced to new vocabulary and a new reading passage. Then students could individually practice vocabulary using an online technology component, VocabJourney, or select books for independent reading from an online library of text selections, ReadingScape. Teachers also worked intensively with students in need of specific instruction during independent and paired reading time. Class size ranged from five to 21 students.
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison group received the instruction in English language arts (ELA) that was already available in their schools and elective or enrichment classes that did not provide any supplemental literacy instruction. The standard ELA instruction was available to both the intervention and comparison groups.
Support for implementation
The professional development and support included a launch training, online product training, coursework on adolescent literacy, and ongoing consultation. The intervention teachers also attended professional development training sessions, including online modules. In particular, they were required to attend 51 hours of professional development over the course of the school year, 30 of which were offered through web-based modules. In addition, trained experts from the developer, Cambium Learning Group, offered face-to-face professional development activities and coaching for intervention teachers. The launch training, the online product training, and the online support are included in the cost of the standard program package. The coursework, professional development training, and coaching was conducted at additional cost to school districts or schools.
IES Performance Measure
Review Details
Reviewed: March 2016
- IES Performance Measure
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).