Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Author:
Diane Alsager
Reading Coordinator
Wright Elementary
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Date evaluation report completed:
June 13, 2000

Months/years covered by evaluation:
September-April during the 1999-2000 school year

Number of schools involved:
Wright Elementary
1 Teacher
6 Students

Demographics of sample population:
Cedar Rapids is a mid-size central city. Wright Elementary has a predominantly Caucasian school enrollment (392 out of 439 students).

Purpose of study:
To determine the literacy growth of the Soar to Success students.

Methodology:
The 4th–grade students chosen for this study were reading approximately two years below level. They received 40 minutes of Soar to Success instruction 4-5 days a week. The classroom teacher delivered the instruction. They were in level 4 of the program.

Measures/indicators used to assess effectiveness:
The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test

Findings: The students made an average of 1.04 years growth in vocabulary and 2.7 years growth in comprehension.