The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of third grade students' reading achievement who have experienced the Reading Renaissance approach to reading instruction (a comprehensive program that balances a reading curriculum with an intensive regimen of reading practice, proven motivational techniques, and state-of-the-art technology) as compared to third grade students who have received the traditional basal textbook approach to the teaching of reading. The sample was assigned from 2 of 11 classes of third grade students who had been heterogeneously grouped at random by school administrators. The control group was exposed to the traditional basal textbook approach to the teaching of reading while the experimental group was exposed to the Reading Renaissance approach to the teaching of reading. An independent means t-Test was performed on the posttest results and there was a level of significant difference found for the control group. The results of the analysis contradicted the hypothesis that the experimental group would show greater achievement in reading because they were exposed to the Reading Renaissance as compared to the control group who were exposed to the traditional basal textbook approach to reading instruction. Students who received the basal textbook approach to reading instruction showed greater achievement than those students in the experimental group. Results of this and further studies using matched pairs may be used by school administrators for future planning for reading instruction in the elementary school. Contains 53 references and a table of data. (Author/RS)