DETAILS: School Profile: 291 students in grades: Pre-K-8; Demographics: Urban, Inner-city, Title I, Mobility: 30.8%, Limited English proficiency: 25.4%, Socioeconomic status: 90.7% low income; Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino: 80.1%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 0.7%, White: 13.4%, American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.3%, Black/African American: 5.5%. RESULTS: The number of 6th-grade students scoring at or above national norms on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) increased 20 percentage points in 1 year following implementation of Accelerated Reader with best practices. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Marcy LeMaster, teacher. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R13422>.

DETAILS: Location: St. Paul, Minnesota; Design: Independent, quasi-experimental; Sample: 67 students in grades 3 and 5; Measures: Star Reading, Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE), Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM); Duration: 6 months. RESULTS: This study took place at a school where 64% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. It compared students that completed book reports, which resulted in delayed feedback, and students that completed Accelerated Reader quizzes, which provided immediate feedback. The GRADE was used to measure vocabulary, sentence, and passage comprehension; a CBM of oral reading fluency was used to determine the students' reading speed. The results revealed that students who used Accelerated Reader showed significantly higher gains on 3 measures of reading achievement compared to students who completed book reports and received only delayed feedback. In particular, students receiving immediate feedback through Accelerated Reader demonstrated twice the gain in reading comprehension of students not using Accelerated Reader. AUTHORS: S. Jay Samuels, EdD and Yi-Chen Wu, PhD. Report available online: <http://testmaker.if-at.com/home/articles/file/research/immediate_feedback.pdf>.

DETAILS: School Profile: 687 students in grades pre-K-6; Demographics: Rural, Free/reduced Lunch: 12%; Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino: 0.6%, Black or African American: 1.6%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 0.1%, White: 97.1%, American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.6%. RESULTS: After adopting Accelerated Reader with best practices, the number of 4th-grade students demonstrating proficiency in reading on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test increased 37 points in just 1 year. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Virginia Cutler, Title I director and reading specialist. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R13205>.

DETAILS: School Profile: 285 students in grades K-6; Demographics: Urban, Limited English Proficiency: 6%, Free/reduced Lunch: 78%; Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American: 6%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 1%, Hispanic or Latino: 4%, American Indian or Alaska Native: 1%, White: 87%. RESULTS: After implementing Accelerated Reader with best practices, the percentage of 5th graders reaching proficiency on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test increased by 24 points in 4 years. District-level scores increased by 13 points and scores at similar schools increased by 3 points in the same time period. REPORTING EDUCATORS: Mary Jo Straney, Title I director/reading specialist; Linda Peifer, principal. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R13206>.

DETAILS: Location: Dinuba, California; Design: Independent, reliability and validity research; Sample: 1,100 students in grades 3-6; Measures: Star Reading, Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-9), California Standards Test (CST). RESULTS: This study of test scores from predominantly Hispanic students in the Dinuba Unified School District sought to determine the predictive ability of Star Reading for high-stakes assessments that are part of the accountability system in California, including the SAT-9 and the CST for English/Language Arts. Moderately strong to very strong correlations were found between Star Reading and these tests across all grades analyzed; correlation coefficients ranged from .69 to .87. The author concludes that Star Reading is an efficient use of time and labor in monitoring student progress in reading in the classroom, and recommends its use by California school administrators to measure progress toward state accountability goals.AUTHOR: Louise Bennicoff-Nan, EdD. The Summary of this study is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R13221>. Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of the Full Report from the Renaissance Research Department.

DETAILS: School Profile: 550 students in grades K-6; Demographics: Urban, Limited English Proficiency: 12%, Free or Reduced Lunch: 30%, Mobility: 54%; Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic or Latino: 18%, Black or African American: 4%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 5%, American Indian or Alaska Native: 2%, White: 71%. RESULTS: After using Accelerated Reader with best practices and Perfect Copy, the average Stanford 9 (SAT-9) reading score increased 6 percentile points double the average increase experienced by the state. The average language arts score rose 7 percentile points, while state scores increased by only 4 percentile points. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Dr. Steve Nance, principal. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R13061>.

DETAILS: Design: Independent, quasi-experimental; Sample: 2 demographically matched K-6 urban schools. RESULTS: This study explored the impact of Accelerated Reader and best classroom practices. One school implemented Accelerated Reader and best practices for 5 years and had twice the free or reduced-price lunch population of the control school (36% vs. 18%), which implemented Accelerated Reader sporadically without best practices. Using survey and focus group data, in addition to Stanford 9 data, researchers found the treatment school gained 13 percentiles, while the control school made no gain. AUTHORS: Linda Sadusky and Sarah Brem, PhD. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R40784>.

This paper outlines the development process for the Star early Literacy computer-adaptive diagnostic assessment and a literacy skill-mapping model. Star early Literacy was developed in response to the need for an easily administered, inexpensive early literacy assessment tool that provides immediate feedback on a students literacy ability. During development of Star early Literacy, a collateral application became apparent: mapping the development of literacy skills. Using the data from the calibration study and applying item response theory (IRT), literacy skills development for each domain and skill set can be mapped on a Rasch ability scale. Similarly, test characteristic curves showing the relationship between underlying ability and expected proficiency can be created. the results show that the onset of proficiency for each of the content domains and skill sets varies considerably with Rasch ability. This information can be used to empirically analyze the onset, rate of development, point of maturation, and sequence of development of literacy skills relative to other skills, age, or school grade. AUTHORS: James R. McBride, PhD and Steven Tardrew. Email research@renaissance.com to request a copy of this study from the Renaissance Research Department.

DETAILS: School Profile: 400 students in grades: K-5; Demographics: Urban, Free/reduced lunch: 68%, Limited English proficiency: 21%; Race/Ethnicity: White: 57%, American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.1%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 6%, Black or African American: 13%, Hispanic or Latino: 23%. RESULTS: After implementing Accelerated Reader and Accelerated Math with best practices, the percentage of 4th-grade students who achieved a satisfactory reading score on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program rose 21.8 points; the math score increased by 17.1 points. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Tom Livezey, district instructional technology specialist. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R12890>.

DETAILS: School Profile: 160 students in grades: pre-K-6; Demographics: Inner City, Urban, Free/reduced lunch: 88%, Mobility: 34%; Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American: 98%, White:1%, Hispanic or Latino: 1%. RESULTS: After using Accelerated Reader with best practices for 4 years, 4th- and 5th-grade Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) reading scores improved by 40 and 41 percentile points. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Sister Mary Marvin, principal. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R12813>.

DETAILS: School Profile: 276 students in grades 2-3; Demographics: Limited English proficiency: 9%, Free/reduced lunch: 78.5%; Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American: 47.0%, Hispanic or Latino: 12.0%, White: 40.0%, Asian or Pacific Islander: 0.7%. RESULTS: After implementing Accelerated Reader with best practices, 2nd-grade scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) increased 6 percentile points over 4 years, while the number of 3rd graders meeting or exceeding standards on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) increased by 8% over 3 years. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Pamela K. Preston, principal. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R12814>.

DETAILS: District Profile: 14,896 students in grades Pre-K-12, 22 schools (14 elementary, 5 middle, 3 high school); Demographics: Rural, Free/reduced Lunch: 46%; Race/Ethnicity: Black or African American: 36%, White: 60%, Hispanic: 1%, Other: 1%. RESULTS: Since the implementation of Accelerated Reader with best practices, 3rd- through 8th-grade students districtwide have achieved large gains on the North Carolina End of Grade (EOG) Test. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Dr. Ted Kaniuka, associate superintendent. The report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R11620>.

DETAILS: Sample: 11 primary schools, 1 secondary school. RESULTS: After implementing Accelerated Reader with best practices for 1 year, 74% of elementary students and 68% of secondary students achieved higher-than-expected gains on nferNelson Group Reading (GRT) II. REPORTING EDUCATOR: Ken McGowan, project director. The full report is available online: <https://docs.renaissance.com/R12659>.