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Schools make steady progress under Reading First
Reading First has wrapped up its second
year in South Dakota, and the results are promising.
Participating elementary schools have demonstrated steady
growth, as measured by the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic
Early Literacy Skills), at the kindergarten through 3rd-grade
levels.
"We are excited by the gains we are seeing in students'
reading proficiency," said Michelle Mehlberg, South Dakota
Reading First director. "The data demonstrates that the Reading
First system works in moving all students to grade level
proficiency in reading." The federally funded program aims to improve
children’s reading achievement through scientifically proven
methods of instruction.
Fifteen schools have participated in
Reading First since the 2004-05 school year, when it was first
implemented in the state. The schools are located within the
following districts: Bennett County, Bon Homme, McLaughlin,
Mitchell, Pierre, Smee, Wagner, Watertown and White River. Many
have high Native American populations.
The biggest gains were found at the
kindergarten level. Prior to Reading First, 16 percent of
kindergarten students in the participating schools were
considered at risk for reading failure, as measured by DIBELS.
In 2006, only 1 percent of kindergarten students are considered
at risk for reading failure. Conversely, 44 percent were
considered at low risk for reading failure in 2004, as
opposed to 90 percent in 2006.
At the 3rd-grade level, the
highest grade reviewed, 18 percent of students were considered
at risk for reading failure in 2004 as opposed to 12 percent in
2006. Fifty-one percent were considered at low risk for
reading failure in 2004, as opposed to 61 percent in 2006.
Reading First is a six-year program funded
by a $14.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Schools in the Kadoka and Tripp-Delmont districts will be added
to the program for the 2006-07 school year.
For more information, contact Michelle
Mehlberg, South Dakota Department of Education, at (605)
280-3614.
michelle.mehlberg@state.sd.us
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