Implementing a statewide reading program for elementary students
Abstract
The Washington Reading Corps was created in 1998 to provide intensive and immediate instruction to elementary students in schools with low reading assessment scores. The program is a unique service partnership between public, private, and community resources that unites teachers, school staff, AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps*VISTA members, and community volunteers in a coordinated, statewide effort. In 1999-2000, about 6,000 volunteer tutors provided services to 26,000 students in 210 schools.Issue
In 1997, Washington State received the results of the new statewide reading assessment test that had been given to all fourth-grade students. Only 47 percent of students met the state's new reading standards. In response, in 1998 Governor Gary Locke and the Washington State Legislature created the Washington Reading Corps to provide intensive and immediate reading instruction to elementary students who needed extra help.Action
The Washington Reading Corps (WRC) enlists teachers, school staff, national service members, and community volunteers in a coordinated effort to provide one-to-one or small group tutoring to struggling readers across the state. The WRC blends public, private, and community resources, which are directed toward schools performing poorest on the state reading assessment. Figures are for the 1999-2000 school year.
Resources
The state legislature provides $8 million that is allocated as grants to schools. Federal funding of $4.8 million from the Corporation for National and Community Service provides nearly 400 national service positions for the WRC. Businesses and organizations contribute more than $500,000 to assist schools with the purchase of books and other resources.
A major component of WRC is the contribution of thousands of hours of community volunteer tutoring. Community volunteers devote time each week to support the development of reading skills in young students. Tutors receive training and are supervised by certified staff at the schools. Cross-age and peer tutors donate time as well.
Community organizations and businesses support WRC through contributions of employee time, as well as resources for the reading program. Businesses and foundations can make direct contributions of cash, in-kind resources, and products to schools on a statewide basis or to specific schools.
National service members provide significant backbone for this effort. Almost 80 percent of WRC schools received the support of national service members in 1999-2000. AmeriCorps and VISTA members are placed in WRC schools to perform the following tasks:
- Serve as full-time reading tutors
- Assist with before-school, after-school, and summer reading programs
- Recruit and train local volunteers as tutors
- Organize family literacy activities
- Mobilize donations such as books and other educational materials
- Provide additional help to further support the WRC effort in their schools
Administration
Tutoring services are typically scheduled before and after school, during school, and/or in summer school. Each WRC school develops its own plan to integrate tutoring services with its overall reading program. Typically, students are tutored about three times a week by the same tutors in one-on-one sessions. Small group tutoring is also provided.
Tutoring methods used include: students reading aloud to tutors, tutors discussing stories with students and using open-ended questions to develop student's comprehension skills, encouraging interactive discussions by questioning students about stories, sharing personal experiences, using pictures to discuss stories, celebrating student successes, and using positive feedback.
Each school has a designated site supervisor (a certified staff member responsible for administering theWRC in the school). In 1999-2000, two-thirds of the site supervisors were either reading specialists or teachers. Eighteen percent were school principals. Site supervisors are the primary individuals responsible for recruiting, training and supervising tutors, conducting student assessments, and coordinating reading events. However, in schools with AmeriCorps or VISTA members, national service members became more responsible for tutor recruitment and training community volunteers and student tutors. Site supervisors and national service members shared responsibility for administering student assessments, and coordinating/organizing reading events in those schools.
Context
Struggling readers in grades kindergarten through six in Washington State attend schools in which 35 percent or less met reading standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. During the 1999-2000 academic year, over 26,000 students in grades kindergarten through six participated in programs at 210 WRC schools across the state. The average school population per WRC school was 434 students. An average of 31 percent of the study body was enrolled in WRC, and an average of 20 percent of the student body participated for the entire year. Over the school year, students received more than 703,000 hours of tutoring. Of the students who stayed in WRC all year, 67 percent received over 30 hours of tutoring, or about one hour per week. Twenty-six percent received twice as much time with tutors.Citation
Ward , Betsy and Changhua Wang .Washington Reading Corps: Impacts of National Service and the Community, 1999-2000 . Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, September 2000. Prepared for the Washington Commission for National and Community Service.Outcome
The Washington Reading Corps has had broad impact on the students, the schools, the volunteers, and the community.- The WRC has made a significant impact on the students served, evidenced by changed attitudes toward reading, other school-related behaviors, and most importantly, improved reading test scores. These improvements occurred in over 200 WRC schools that previously had the lowest reading scores in the state.
- Student changes beyond improving reading test scores include:
- Improving attitudes towards reading/greater enthusiasm and enjoyment for reading.
- Increasing self-esteem/confidence.
- Building positive relationships with adults.
- Improving basic reading skills, critical reading skills, and comprehension.
- Developing greater independence and time on task/attention span.
- Students were also involved in tutoring other students. In the spring of 2000, schools reported that 5,839 cross-age and 2,444 peer tutors were helping other students improve their reading.
- Community volunteer tutor participation is high. In the spring of 2000, schools reported 5,100 current community volunteer tutors statewide, in addition to 393 AmeriCorps and VISTA members and 546 para-educators tutoring students . About 90 percent of the WRC school programs had community volunteers, over three-quarters had at least one AmeriCorps member, and about half the schools had a VISTA member. Many schools (61 percent) received materials and/or incentives from local businesses or community partners for their WRC program.
- The Washington Reading Corps not only directly serves students with reading problems, but also generates enormous community support for schools. In the process, community members, including those who do not have children in schools, have become more aware of the needs of the schools and are more likely to render their support for public education in the long-run.
- AmeriCorps and VISTA members have played an instrumental role in keeping the WRC running at many school sites. Of the total 210 sites, 175 schools had national service members.
- A cumulative total of nearly 18,000 community volunteers have become involved in the WRC as tutors, most of whom were recruited by the VISTA members. For many WRC schools, this represents the first time that the greater community has been directly involved in improving the academic achievement of students. This represents the largest mobilization of community volunteers for any single literacy initiative in Washington State.
- National service members have played a key role in reaching parents and other community members to garner support for the WRC. Due to the efforts of the national service members in 1999-2000, 994 community or private organizations -- big and small, urban and rural -- contributed more than a half million dollars to support the WRC across the state.
- National service members involved in the WRC are diverse in their professional and cultural backgrounds, but they share the same compassion for helping young children.
- Participation in serving with the WRC also benefited the national service members in their personal and professional growth. Many of them are likely to pursue their career in the area of education and to continue serving in their communities in the future.
Evidence
On average, the 26,000 participating pupils read nearly one year below their grade level in fall 1999. By the end of last school year, second- through fifth-graders pulled to within one month of their grade level.Several evaluation reports on the Washington Reading Corps have been prepared by the Education, Career, and Community Program of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory that provide detailed information on program services and outcomes.
Washington Reading Corps: Evaluation Report 2001-2002. Prepared for the Washington Commission for National and Community Service. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, August 2002.
http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/GovernorLocke/reading/01-02eval.pdf
Washington Reading Corps Highlights of the Program Evaluation for the 1999-2000 School Year. Prepared by Ann E. Davis and Theresa Deussen, Evaluation Research Associates, with Dr. Dean Arrasmith, Director, Assessment Program. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, October 2000.
http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/GovernorLocke/reading/highlights.pdf (PDF 71KB)(Call 360-902-0653 or e-mail cara.patrick@gov.wa.gov to request a copy of the full report.)
Washington Reading Corps 2000-2001 Final Evaluation Report, Volume 1. Prepared by Ann E. Davis, Theresa Deussen. and Angela Roccograndi, Evaluation Research Associates, with Dr. Dean Arrasmith, Director, Assessment Program. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, August 2001.
Posted On
October 29, 2001For More Information
Resources
http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculuminstruct/reading/readingcorps/default.aspx (PDF 192KB)Related Practices
No related practicesRelated sites
Washington Commission for National and Community Service