Independent Study Reveals Unprecedented Jumps in Reading Scores for Kindergarten and First Graders with Pearson's Research-based Curriculum

Innovative Reading Street Program for Grades PreK-6 Closes the Achievement Gap, Allows Teachers to Personalize Instruction for Each Student

New York, NY, December 15, 2010 — Virtually every kindergarten student and first grader who is learning to read with Pearson’s Reading Street is already set on a path to success in school and in life with this innovative curriculum which allows teachers to personalize instruction for every child. And, according to new independent research, the rigor of the program results in achievement gains for on-level and advanced students while the embedded intervention in every lesson is closing the achievement gap for children from low-income communities.

Findings from a one-year study by Gatti Evaluation, Inc. confirmed unprecedented gains by students in their first year learning with Reading Street. From pre- to post-testing on the Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) assessment Total Test, kindergarten students demonstrated percentile gains of 46 percent and first grade students an even more impressive 48 percent gain.

According to the GRADE results, the kindergarten students and first graders realized significant gains in comprehension and vocabulary – mandatory skills that have been singled out as most states transition to the new Common Core State Standards requirements.

“Reading is the foundation for all other learning, so these results are especially compelling and important to educators,” said Pearson’s reading vice president Doug McCollum. “What’s especially revealing from this study is confirmation that Reading Street closes the achievement gap for low-income children, who in the past have often been left behind in early reading. This is what is really most significant about this study.” McCollum noted that education statistics show that if a child doesn’t learn to read by age 7, he or she will most likely have tremendous difficulty catching up.

“These are unprecedented results for a first year implementation of a program,” said Marcy Baughman, Pearson’s Director of Academic Research. “The data from this study provides scientific evidence that Reading Street significantly increases student reading achievement, and demonstrates that our research-based instruction indeed makes a difference for these early learners.”

Guido Gatti, Founder and Principal Investigator at Gatti Evaluation, Inc., said, “The Reading Street efficacy study was designed to meet the most rigorous standards of the What Works Clearinghouse and took place in public schools across the United States, thus making the results relevant and meaningful to districts interested in scientific evidence of considerable gains in student reading achievement during the first year of program implementation.”

The Reading Street program, now in thousands of schools in every state, is backed by the gold-standard of efficacy studies – randomized control trials – that attest to the program’s success in areas like reading comprehension, oral reading, and listening comprehension. Pearson is the only education provider that consistently commissions independent randomized control trial efficacy studies, like the Gatti Evaluation study, for all of its curriculum programs — studies that inform the creation of the next generation of Pearson’s elementary, middle and high school instructional materials.

Comprised of students and teachers from 82 diverse elementary grade classrooms in nine schools across six states – Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio and Washington – the research study took place during the 2009-10 school year.

About Reading Street

In addition to its print and online texts, Pearson’s Reading Street curriculum includes an unparalleled digital path with animations, games and downloadable APPs, all directly aligned to the new Common Core State Standards. The Common Core State Standards will require many changes by school districts and Pearson has created a long-term program for partnering with schools across the country to help them through the complicated transition to the new standards while also providing professional development for teachers to implement Common Core.

Reading Street is a preK-6th grade basal reading program based on the priority skills model, which incorporates phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension in appropriate amounts as each beginning reader progresses through subsequent grades. Because children approach text in various ways in accordance with their own abilities and purposes, reading instruction must be differentiated, ensuring success for students of varying ability levels and experiences. Award winning reading selections seek to motivate students to learn, with a focus on developing a Big Idea in each unit along with science and social studies concepts. Reading Street also helps teachers achieve adequate yearly progress through integrated progress monitoring and assessment plans. For more information about Reading Street, visit: http://www.readingstreet.com.

About Pearson’s Efficacy Research

Pearson has a history of ensuring its programs in all disciplines are supported by a wealth of data before they ever enter the classroom. Pearson also evaluates the impact of its curricula on student learning by engaging independent research firms and working with school districts across the nation to conduct research studies designed to meet the rigorous standards set forth by the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse. This efficacy research objectively determines the effectiveness of the program and examines best practices and instructional techniques that enable educators to use the programs with the most success. See our: video to learn more.