WWC review of this study

Improving student literacy: READ 180 in the Austin Independent School District, 2004–05.

Haslam, M. B., White, R. N., & Klinge, A. (2006). Washington, DC: Policy Studies Associates.

  • Quasi-Experimental Design
     examining 
    614
     Students
    , grades
    7-8

Reviewed: November 2016



Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Study sample characteristics were not reported.

Reviewed: October 2009

No statistically significant positive
findings
Meets WWC standards with reservations
Comprehension outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS): Reading Test

READ 180® vs. Business as usual

Posttest

Grades 7 and 8;
614 students

23.90

22.10

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • 90% English language learners

  • Female: 46%
    Male: 54%

  • 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
    • x
    • w
    • y

    Texas
  • Race
    Asian
    1%
    Black
    3%
    White
    1%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    95%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    5%

Setting

From the initial pool of 409 READ 180 students in grades 7 and 8 who scored at least one reading level below grade level, 307 students were matched to 307 comparison students using a one-to-one propensity score matching method. Although the percentage of Limited English Proficiency students turned out to be significantly higher in the READ 180 group (89%) than in the comparison group (73%), the groups were equivalent on the pretest achievement measure. In all, 307 students in the READ 180 group and 307 students in the comparison group were included in the analysis sample.

Study sample

The study took place in seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms in the Austin Independent School District (AISD) in Texas.

Intervention Group

Data on students’ exposure to the READ 180 software were not provided in this study. The study reported student outcomes after one year of program implementation.

Comparison Group

The comparison group received the standard instruction provided in the regular school curriculum.

Outcome descriptions

For both the pretest and posttest, students took the English-language version of the 2004 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) Reading Test. For a more detailed description of this outcome measure, see Appendix A2.1.

Support for implementation

No information on training for teachers or staff was provided in this study.

 

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