Third Grade Reading Performance and Teacher Perceptions of the Scott Foresman Reading Street Program in Title I Schools in South Mobile County

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine if third grade reading performance improved as a result of first year implementation of the Scott Foresman Reading Street program, obtain the overall satisfaction level of the certified instructional personnel using the new curriculum, and identify predictors that may improve future student performance. Reading performance was measured using the Stanford Achievement Test-10 (SAT-10). Although slight improvements in student outcome data were noted during the initial implementation year, no statistically significant differences between the performance of third grade participants before and after the implementation of Reading Street were found. A literature review revealed that it is common for reading achievement to remain the same or decrease following curriculum change. These findings appear characteristic of the reported curvilinear nature of reading curriculum implementation. Questionnaire data indicated that educators were very satisfied with Reading Street, and no specific predictors that may improve future performance within the participating population were revealed.