Program Data
Reading Power uses universal screening tools to assess students’ literacy knowledge three times per year. In addition, students are assessed daily to inform the next day’s instruction. This individualized intervention supports development of fundamental skills and independent reading practices. For full data analysis, see our Annual Report. |
Kindergarten
The goals for tutored kindergarten students are to develop story listening skills, to increase alphabet and letter/sound knowledge, and to strengthen phonemic awareness (the ability to discriminate between individual sounds). All of this is accomplished while fostering a love of literacy. These early skills are the main predictors of first grade reading success. The ISEL (Illinois Snapshots of Early Literacy) is an individually administered assessment of a student’s early literacy knowledge.
Four subtests of the ISEL are administered:
In 2019-2020, the average score of 36 in the fall compared to 82 in January indicates that tutorted kindergarten students were on track to meet or exceed the spring grade level target.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
The goals for tutored kindergarten students are to develop story listening skills, to increase alphabet and letter/sound knowledge, and to strengthen phonemic awareness (the ability to discriminate between individual sounds). All of this is accomplished while fostering a love of literacy. These early skills are the main predictors of first grade reading success. The ISEL (Illinois Snapshots of Early Literacy) is an individually administered assessment of a student’s early literacy knowledge.
Four subtests of the ISEL are administered:
- Alphabet Recognition
- Story Listening (for Comprehension and Vocabulary)
- Letter Sounds
- Developmental Spelling
In 2019-2020, the average score of 36 in the fall compared to 82 in January indicates that tutorted kindergarten students were on track to meet or exceed the spring grade level target.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
First Grade
According to national fluency norms (Barr, Blachowicz, Bates, 2013), the target (50th percentile) for the Spring oral reading rate is between 48-74 correct words per minute.
At the start of the school year, tutorted first grade students achieved an average of eight WRCM. In January, they achieved an average of 31 WRCM, slightly higher than the 50th percentile. This rapid increase represents a 23-point average gain for tutored students. This suggests that if tutoring had not been suspended in March due to the pandemic, we could expect that the students would have continued along the same upward trajectory and approached the spring target of 60 WRCM.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
According to national fluency norms (Barr, Blachowicz, Bates, 2013), the target (50th percentile) for the Spring oral reading rate is between 48-74 correct words per minute.
At the start of the school year, tutorted first grade students achieved an average of eight WRCM. In January, they achieved an average of 31 WRCM, slightly higher than the 50th percentile. This rapid increase represents a 23-point average gain for tutored students. This suggests that if tutoring had not been suspended in March due to the pandemic, we could expect that the students would have continued along the same upward trajectory and approached the spring target of 60 WRCM.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
Second Grade
According to national fluency norms (Barr, Blachowicz, Bates, 2013), the target (50th percentile) for the Spring oral reading rate is between 77-131 correct words per minute.
In September of 2019, 75 percent of tutorted students had fluency rates of less than 25 WRCM - well below the fall target benchmark of 50 WRCM. The results of the second grade fall and winter fluency scores show that students were making progress. If students followed the same trend line, they would have scored in the average range between the 25th to 75th percentile but not quite reaching the grade level benchmark in the spring.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
According to national fluency norms (Barr, Blachowicz, Bates, 2013), the target (50th percentile) for the Spring oral reading rate is between 77-131 correct words per minute.
In September of 2019, 75 percent of tutorted students had fluency rates of less than 25 WRCM - well below the fall target benchmark of 50 WRCM. The results of the second grade fall and winter fluency scores show that students were making progress. If students followed the same trend line, they would have scored in the average range between the 25th to 75th percentile but not quite reaching the grade level benchmark in the spring.
*Spring data is unavailable due to COVID-19
"When I talk about Reading Power we can talk about the instructional value and the gains students make which is certainly important but the love and nurturing you give to the students is equally important. they will remember that and take that with them. They genuinely love you guys."
– Keely Roberts, Superintendent, Zion School District 6 |