Evaluation of STAR Reading Program Kimberly R. Scott North East Leadership Academy Cohort 1 Spring 2012, NCSU

Problem of Practice Based on data obtained from the beginning of the year STAR Assessment, 49.5% of third graders are reading below grade level. According to North Carolina School Report Card, 52.3% of the students were proficient in Reading on the End of Grade Test. As a result: Developed STAR Reading program to focus on grade-level specific chapter books. Students were grouped in small groups of 8-10 students based on their current reading levels. Students received small group instruction for 30 minutes daily. Within small groups, students read chapter books, developed vocabulary skills, increased fluency rates and improved comprehension skills.

Evaluation Questions/Data Sources What do you need to know?Measures/Data Sources How many students were assessed?Reading Specialist How many students will participate in the STAR program?Conference with Reading Specialist/Data from STAR Assessment How many books will be read?Log of books read How many students were assessed?Class Rosters How many staff members participated in STAR Reading?Reading Specialist Were the PLC’s informative?Teacher surveys How many students were regrouped?Reading Specialist

Results 300 students were assessed. 170 students participated in STAR Reading Program. 55 novel book studies were completed. 11 teachers and instructional partners were involved in the STAR Reading Program. Based on the data received from the survey conducted on Survey Monkey, 90% of the teachers and instructional partners thought the PLC’s were effective. At the end of the second nine week period, 10 students were regrouped into BEARS and 27 new students were regrouped into STAR Reading. Based on the weekly lesson plans, I observed that 90% of the teachers were using the data they were receiving from the individual STAR Assessment data to provide additional interventions in the classroom.

Recommendations Based on input from the teacher surveys, implementation of Accelerated Reader Program to be used to assess student’s comprehension skills. Develop guidelines for implementation of the Accelerated Reader program to ensure that it is being used with fidelity. As a result of conferences with Reading Specialist and data obtained from assessments throughout this process, incorporate STAR across grade levels.

Reflections Throughout this process, I have learned how important it is to conduct evaluations on programs being used in schools. Evaluations give a school administer specific information about the effectiveness of programs being used. By conducting surveys as a means of evaluation, stakeholders are given an opportunity to express their feelings about a specific program.