Florida Reading Initiative Outcomes
2010/11 School Year
Background
Ten school districts in the Northeast Florida Education Consortium (NEFEC) region participated in the State of Florida’s Non-PhonemicReading Initiative during the 2010/11 School Year. Forty two NEFEC schools implemented Failure Free Reading with approximately 1,200 students who had never scored higher the lowest level (Level 1) on Florida’s Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in Reading as part of the initiative.
Of the 853 Failure Free Reading students who met FL DOE reporting criteria (i.e. had sufficient prior year data on record for the analysis), 657students (or 77%) had Free/Reduced Lunch status and 488 students (57%) were classified as special education.
Key Finding
According to a Florida Department of Education report, the percentage of students in Failure Free Reading who moved up the FCAT scale from Level 1 was 32% higher than that of a comparison group of students from across the state. This outcome is especially impressive given the fact that the mean average duration for Failure Free intervention was just 28.5 hours of instruction!
Other Highlights:
- 70% of the Failure Free students made statistically significant FCAT Equivalent Developmental Scale Score (EDSS) gains in reading comprehension
- 52% of the Failure Free students gained one grade level or more on EDSS
- 40% of the Failure Free students gained more than 1.5 grade level (NEFEC’s definition of “catch up” growth) on EDSS
Special Education Breakout
Six NEFEC schools used Failure Free Reading exclusively in special education (n=58)
- 86% of these students made FCAT learning gains on EDSS
- 72% of these students made one grade level gain or more on EDSS
- 52% of these students made EDSS “catch-up” growth on EDSS
- Average per student hours of Failure Free Reading intervention for these six schools ranged from just 12 hours to 60 hours per school.
CASE Study #1
Results from a NEFEC High School
Of the 20 qualifying students (who met FL/DOE reporting requirements):
- 10 students made statistically significant reading gains on EDSS
- 9 students doubled EDSS threshold growth
- 2 students moved from FCAT Level 1 Level 2
- 1 student moved from Level to Level 3
- 8 students were classified as special education
- 117 average hours of Failure Free Reading intervention
CASE Study #2
Results from a NEFEC Middle School
Of the 13 qualifying students:
- 13 students were in special education
- 12 students made FCAT grade level growth
- 9 students made FCAT “catch-up” growth
- 47average hours of Failure Free Reading intervention
CASE Study #3
Results from an NEFEC Elementary School
Of the 19 qualifying students:
- 13 students were in special education
- 5 students made EDSS grade level growth
- 4 students made EDSS “catch-up” growth
- 4 students move from Level 1 to Level 2
- 1 student moves from Level 1 to Level 3
- 55 average hours of Failure Free Reading intervention
On the basis of these outcomes, the Florida Legislature has re-appropriated funding for the Florida Non-PhonemicReading Initiative for the 2011/12 school year, expanding Failure Free Reading to additional NEFEC schoolsalong with schools in the Panhandle Area Education Consortium (PAEC) and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
These results also reinforced the scientific validity of, and urgent need for non-phonic reading intervention for the large subgroups of students who are failing to respond to traditional reading instruction. According to the FL Senate Education Committee, 32% of all students who took FCAT in 2011 scored at the lowest level in reading comprehension (Level 1), 60% of all FL students scored Level 1 or 2 (and thus failed FCAT), and “it becomes painfully obvious when looking at (this data) that whatever our state is presently doing to prepare (these) students… is not working”.