Wentzville School District gets results
from
new reading program
June 30, 2009
Wentzville School District
Students in the Wentzville School District who have had difficulty reading in the past are now making some outstanding gains as part of a new program. The Wentzville School District has been working to address the needs of struggling readers (those who are reading two years or more below their current grade level), especially at the middle school and high school levels.
Using a variety of data, the District has identified these students, and for the 2008-09 school year implemented the Scholastic Read 180 Program to increase reading comprehension. This research-based program combines teacher directed instruction with computer based software to target the specific needs of these struggling readers. Of the students enrolled in this program, 63% improved their reading levels by one or more years and 42% improved their reading by two or more years.
“Of all the things we do for our students in public education, reading has the single greatest long term impact,” said Susan Gauzy, the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. “It is the first of the ‘three R’s’, and it is the single most important skill we teach at the elementary and secondary level.”
As a result of these increased efforts, some students in the District have seen growth in reading of up to 4+ grade levels in just one year of instruction.
Copyright 2009 Neighbors About Town
