Reading Recovery Research

Program Evaluation and Research

Since its introduction in the United States in 1984, Reading Recovery has served more than 1.6 million children, making it one of the nation's premier scientifically-based literacy interventions. Data is collected on each child that is served, even if they only had one lesson. All data is collected by the International Data Evaluation Center (IDEC) at Ohio State University.

Reading Recovery received the WWCs highest marks for literacy intervention programs

In an independent study, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), a branch of the United States Department of Education, demonstrated that Reading Recovery has positive effects—the WWC's highest rating—on students' alphabetic skills (phonemic awareness, phonics and letter recognition) and general reading achievement. The report also found potentially positive effects on fluency and comprehension outcomes, their next highest level of evidence.

http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/beginning_reading/reading_recovery/

Massachusetts Reading Recovery Student Outcomes: 2008-2009

In 2008-09, 82% (2,042 students) of Reading Recovery students in Massachusetts completed the full series of lessons by either reaching grade level or being recommended for longer-term support.

• Of those with complete interventions, 74% (1,516) reached grade level within 20 weeks.
• Of those with complete interventions, 26% (526) were recommended for longer-term support. Although these children did not reach grade level, they did make progress in reading and writing and continued making progress within their regular classroom program after their Reading Recovery lessons ended.
• Only 4% of Reading Recovery students with complete interventions were placed in Special Education for reading and writing difficulties at the end of first grade.
• During the 2008-09 school year, 340 Reading Recovery teachers worked with 2,487 children in 217 schools across 75 school districts.

The 2008-09 Massachusetts Reading Recovery Research Highlights are available as a PDF.

The 2009-10 Massachusetts Reading Recovery Research Highlights are available as a PDF.

New Hampshire Reading Recovery Student Outcomes: 2009-2010

In 2009-10:

• 64% of the children who had an opportunity for a full series of lessons reached grade level within 20 weeks.
• 50% of all children served (including children who had just one Reading Recovery lesson), reached grade level within 20 weeks.
• Of those with complete interventions, 36% were recommended for longer-term support. Although these children did not reach grade level, they did make progress in reading and writing and continued making progress within their regular classroom program after their Reading Recovery lessons ended.

The 2009-10 New Hampshire Reading Recovery Research Highlights are available as a Word Doc.

Rhode Island Reading Recovery Student Outcomes: 2009-10

In 2009-10:

• 55% of all children served (including children who had just one Reading Recovery lesson), reached grade level within 20 weeks.
• 41 teachers and one teacher leader served 313 Reading Recovery students and 1,027 students in their other roles within the school.
• Of the 313 Reading Recovery students served, 55% were boys, 45% were girls, 81% were white, 11% were Hispanic, 5% were African-American, 1% were Asian, 44% were receiving free or reduced lunch.

The 2009-10 Rhode Island Reading Recovery Executive Report can be downloaded as a Microsoft Word document. 2008-09 Rhode Island Reading Recovery NECAP information is also available as a Microsoft Word document.

 Additional Research Information on Reading Recovery

For more information related to the research on Reading Recovery, please visit the Reading Recovery Council of North America's research section:

http://www.readingrecovery.org/research/research_intro/index.asp

Lesley University offers Reading Recovery training in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Find a Reading Recovery training site near you.