DETAILS: Location: KY, AZ, CA, MS, SC, AR, CO, GA, NV, NM, and TN; Design: Independent, correlational; Sample: 47 local model literacy initiative programs; Measure: Star Reading; Duration: 1 school year. RESULTS: During the 2005-2006 school year, Save the Children supported several local programs in its model literacy initiative. Twenty of the sites operated for the first time that year, while 15 began operation in the spring of the 2004-2005 school year, and the remaining 12 began during the 2003-2004 school year. Services at the sites included delivery of integrated in-school, after-school, and summer-school literacy activities including using Accelerated Reader. This report describes implementation of the literacy model at each site, the characteristics of participating children, and the learning results achieved during 2005-06. During the 2005-06 school year, the proportion of participants reading at a level appropriate for their grade level or above increased. On the initial Star Reading test, 21.8% of students were at grade level or higher--a normal curve equivalent (NCE) score of 50 or more. The final Star Reading test showed that 27.3% were reading at grade level. The average pre-post change in Star Reading scores was 3.9 NCEs, which was statistically significant. Report available online: <https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED498796.pdf>.

DETAILS: Location: New York, NY; Denver, CO; and Monroe, LA Design: Independent, correlational; Sample: 10,617 students in grades 1-12 at 43 schools; Measures: Star Reading, Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP); Duration: 1 school year. RESULTS: The Carmel Hill Fund Education Program uses Accelerated Reader as its primary means to help schools improve. A collaboration between The Carmel Hill Fund and Renaissance's Research Department, this report examines the impact of Accelerated Reader on student achievement and teacher and principal opinions during the 2005-2006 academic year. Findings were confirmed by an independent, external statistician. Overall, data from Accelerated Reader, Star Reading, the CSAP, the LEAP, and educator surveys indicated that Carmel Hill is successfully helping disadvantaged schools improve student reading performance. Report available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R38852>

DETAILS: School Profile: 514 students in grades K-5; Demographics: Rural, Title I, Free/reduced lunch: 46%, Mobility: 16%; Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American: 2%, Hispanic/Latino: 1%, White: 93%, Other: 4%; Measure: Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP+); Duration: 2002-2005. RESULTS: At Morgan Elementary, after implementing Accelerated Math and MathFacts in a Flash in 2001, 3rd-grade math scores grew 26 percentage points from 64% of students meeting standards in 2002 to 90% in 2006. Fourth graders were added to ISTEP+ testing in 2005 and saw a 7% boost from 84% passing math in 2005 to 91% in 2006. In addition, 3rd-grade scores in reading made a 29 percentage point increase, and there has been a phenomenal over-600% increase in library numbers from 31,770 books checked out during the 2003 school year to 243,871 books in circulation during 2005-2006. REPORTING EDUCATORS: Lance Richards, principal; Mischelle Ferrell, teacher; Kathy Crimans, librarian. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R38798>.

DETAILS: Location: United Kingdom; Design: Reliability and validity research; Sample: Reading: 1,968 primary pupils, 1,034 secondary pupils; Math: 2,006 primary pupils, 883 secondary pupils; Measures: Star Reading, Suffolk Reading Scale 2 Test, Star Maths, Progress in Mathematics Test (PiM); Duration: Autumn 2006. RESULTS: An equating study was carried out by NFER on behalf of Renaissance, to provide validation evidence for the use of the Star Reading and Star Maths tests in English schools. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between the Star tests and other established tests. Between 11 and 16 schools were involved in the study. A strong correlation was established between Star Reading and the Suffolk Reading Scale 2 tests (correlation coefficient of 0.91). Star Reading scores were also related to reading ages derived from the Suffolk Reading Scale 2, providing an equating graph for comparative purposes. Star Maths and PiM tests were shown to correlate reasonably strongly (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.58 to 0.75 for different PiM tests). Finally, the Star tests and English national curriculum teacher assessment levels correlated well (0.85 for reading and 0.81 for mathematics), particularly in view of the short length of the tests. The strong correlations provide evidence that Star Reading and Star Maths are suitable for use in England. AUTHORS: Julie Sewell and Marian Sainsbury. Report available online: <https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED502442.pdf>.

DETAILS: Location: 24 U.S. states; Design: Independent, correlational, peer-reviewed; Sample: 45,670 students in grades 1-12 at 139 schools Measure: Star Reading; Duration: 1 school year. RESULTS: Does reading practice make perfect? Or is reading achievement related to the quality of practice as well as the quantity? To answer these questions, data for students who read more than 3 million books were analyzed. Measures largely of quantity (engaged reading volume) and purely of quality (success in reading comprehension) showed a positive relationship with achievement gain at all levels of achievement. However, both high quantity and high quality in combination were necessary for high achievement gains, especially for older students. Both were weakly associated with student initial reading achievement, but more strongly associated with the class in which the student was enrolled, possibly suggesting the properties of teacher intervention in guiding independent reading were important. Implications for theory building, research, and practice were explored. PLEASE NOTE: Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of this peer-reviewed journal article: Topping, K. J., Samuels, J., & Paul, T. (2007). Does practice make perfect? Independent reading quantity, quality and student achievement. Learning and Instruction, 17, 253-264.

Using Technology Tools to Monitor Response to Intervention reviewed research-based practices for monitoring response to intervention (RTI). Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, Star Reading, Star Math, and Star Early Literacy were all mentioned for their use in monitoring response to intervention. This book chapter appeared in S. R. Jimerson, M. K. Burns, & A. M. VanDerHeyden (Eds.), Handbook of Response to Intervention: The science and practice of assessment and intervention. New York: Springer.

This book reviewed research-based practices for helping struggling adolescent readers and evaluated reading programs based on their alignment with those practices. The authors only reviewed programs that could be useful with struggling adolescent readers, that included instructional components or that could inform instruction, that were appropriate for adolescents, and that have been implemented widely in a variety of settings and with a range of students. The authors identified 48 programs that met those standards. The criteria used to evaluate those programs included the following: Availability of professional development, use of data driven tools and assessments, ability to motivate and engage reluctant adolescent readers, and the number and type of evaluations and research studies. Accelerated Reader was included in the review, and of the 48 programs, was one of only three that had more than 10 evaluations and 10 peer-reviewed studies. AUTHORS: Donald D. Deschler, PhD, Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar, PhD, and Gina Biancarosa, PhD. For information on obtaining a copy of this review, email the Renaissance Research Department: research@renaissance.com.

The federally funded CSRQ Center rated School Renaissance in the top 3rd among 22 Comprehensive School Reform models. School Renaissance combines progress-monitoring assessment technology with best practices to comprehensively reform schools. Specifically, Renaissance's best classroom practices help teachers use the data captured through the company's daily, progress-monitoring tools (i.e. Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math) and periodic assessments (i.e. Star Reading, Star Early Literacy, Star Math). This data informs instruction, helps to create shared goals, and provides a common language for all educational stakeholders. According to Ed Week, the evaluation criteria used by the CSRQ Center are as rigorous as the criteria developed by the U.S. Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse and reflect the federal government's definition of what constitutes "scientifically based research" in education. The CSRQ Center report is available online: <https://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/csrq_0.pdf>

DETAILS: Location: Central and Northern Georgia; Design: Independent, quasi-experimental, peer-reviewed; Sample: 2,287 students at 4 elementary schools; Measures: Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT), Star Reading; Duration: 3 years. RESULTS: Of the 4 Title I schools in the sample, 2 were located in urban areas and 2 were located in rural areas. One school in each area was either a high or low implementer of Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math. Results from the CRCT indicated that students in the 2 high-implementing schools outperformed students in the 2 low-implementing comparison schools overall (Effect size, ES = 0.65) and in reading (ES = 0.50), language arts (ES = 0.71), and math (ES = 0.75). Researcher observations confirmed that the 2 high-implementation schools engaged in Accelerated Reader best classroom practices and Accelerated Math best classroom practices more often than the 2 low-implementation schools. Teachers in all schools expressed positive attitudes towards Accelerated Math and Accelerated Reader.PLEASE NOTE: The Summary of two publications: 1) peer-reviewed journal article: Holmes, C. T., Brown, C. L., & Algozzine, B. (2006). Promoting academic success for all students. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 10(3), 141-147., and 2) the technical report: Holmes, C. T., & Brown, C. L. (2003). A controlled evaluation of a total school improvement process, School Renaissance (Tech. Rep.). Athens: University of Georgia, Department of Educational Administration. is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R38788>. For a copy of the Full Peer-Reviewed Article, email research@renaissance.com. The Full Technical Report is available online: <https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED474261.pdf>.

Star Reading meets all NCSPM criteria for scientifically based progress-monitoring tools. The Full Review is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R41008>

Star Early Literacy meets all NCSPM criteria for scientifically based progress-monitoring tools. The Full Review is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R41008>

Star Math meets all NCSPM criteria for scientifically based progress-monitoring tools. The Full Review is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R41008>

Accelerated Reader meets the NCSPM's criteria for scientifically based progress-monitoring tools. The Full Review is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R41008>