Does a Summer Reading Program Based on Lexiles Affect Reading Comprehension?

• In Event: Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: Quantitative Approaches to the Evaluation of Literacy Programs and Instruction for Elementary and Secondary Students

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a large-scale, multi-district RCT of the effectiveness of a summer reading program on reading comprehension for economically disadvantaged, grade 3 students reading below the 50th percentile nationally. This paper also presents exploratory findings on the effect of the intervention on the reported number of books students read over the summer, and the differential effect of the intervention on reading comprehension depending on baseline reading ability. Students were randomly assigned to the treatment or control group within schools. Analyses were conducted using OLS regression models that compared reading comprehension in the treatment group with those of students in the control group, with school covariates added as controls. Results will be presented in the final paper.

Authors

• Chuck Wilkins, Edvance Research, Inc.

• Leslie Nicole Grunden, Edvance Research, Inc.

• Lauren Elizabeth Decker, Edvance Research, Inc.

• Russell M. Gersten, Instructional Research Group

• Sarah Jane Harris-Brasiel, Edvance Research, Inc.