Literacy Collaborative shows significant improvements in reading

A longitudinal (4 year) study funded by IES found substantial (32%) gains in reading skills as a result of implementing the Literacy Collaborative program. Differences were notable between schools and between teachers at studied schools, and the amount of coaching teachers received seemed to play a determining role. Highlights of the research findings include:

• Students’ average rates of learning increased by 16% in the first implementation year, 28% in the second implementation year, and 32% in the third implementation year.

• Teacher expertise increased substantially, and the rate of improvement was predicted by the amount of coaching a teacher received.

• Professional communication amongst teachers in the schools increased over the three years of implementation, and the literacy coordinators became more central in the schools’ communication networks.

A summary of the report is available here; the study will be published in an upcoming issue of The Elementary School Journal.