Evaluation of the Alabama Reading Initiative, 1999-2000. Executive Summary.

This paper is a summary of the evaluation of the second complete year of the implementation of the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), which is designed to achieve 100% literacy by targeting reading performance of beginning reading and first-grade students, to expand the reading power for second- through twelfth-grade students and to intervene for struggling readers at all grade levels. In its second year of implementation, approximately 27,700 students, 2,354 teachers, 81 principals, 75 reading specialists, 64 higher education partners, and 221 preservice teacher education programs were directly involved in the ARI. The evaluation used information from student achievement data from surveys completed by teachers, reading specialists, principals, higher education partners, and higher education reading faculty. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed. A pretest-posttest design was used to examine change over time for student outcomes. Results and recommendations regarding delivery of the ARI are: a large percentage of principals, teachers, reading specialists, and higher education partners reported the ARI had substantial positive impacts on student literacy; the principal should receive sufficient support, direction, and encouragement because their leadership role was related to gains in reading scores; the visibility and involvement of the reading specialist and higher education partner influenced teachers' attitudes toward the helpfulness of these individuals; higher education faculty in the program are often confronted with inadequate or competing reward structures; teachers involved in the first 2 years of the program felt that continued professional development would help sustain their enthusiasm; the Stanford Achievement Test, Level 9 is not the most appropriate measure for monitoring progress toward program goals; tests currently used to assess early literacy skills of kindergarten through second-grade students are inappropriate for use as tools for evaluating gains associated with ARI; and case studies of particularly effective schools should be conducted. (RS)