| Abstract: |
This paper is based on a study of the Success for All (SFA) reading program at two Mississippi elementary schools. In particular, the study investigated whether SFA was being implemented as advocated by its developers, students' reading scores on standardized achievement tests, how the program was monitored, attitudes toward reading, and what key informants said about the program. Mixed methods--qualitative and quantitative--were used to collect, analyze, and interpret data. Document review, field observation, surveys, and interviews were used to collect data. Findings revealed that adherence to the program's protocols, as designed by the developers, was only partial. Standardized achievement test scores of children in some grades increased, while the scores of children in other grades decreased. Since SFA's prescriptive nature controls teaching methods, children's learning experiences, and curriculum content, it was not surprising to find that teachers were less positive in their attitudes toward the program than were students and parents. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/RS) |
