This study examines the hypothesis that having an older sister causes one to perform relatively better at reading. For the analysis, a cross-subject analysis is conducted to examine a student's relative reading test score (reading test score minus math test score) based on older sibling gender. We found that a student's relative reading test score…

In the past decade, teachers and researchers have recognized the vital role school climate plays in the public school setting in the United States (Thapa, Cohen, Guffey & Higgins-D'Alessandro, 2013). One of the greatest indicators of achievement is the relationship between school and student socioeconomic status (Sirin, 2005). According to…

Background: Rapid growth in early childhood device usage has raised critical questions about the potential impact of digital storybooks on children's reading outcomes. The current study examined how two types of multimedia animations in digital storybooks -- animations of storyline elements or details in the illustrations -- influenced the story…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an integral measure of academic progress across the nation and over time. It is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what our nation's students know and can do in various subjects, such as civics, mathematics, reading, and U.S. history. The program also…

This paper presents the results from a randomized controlled trial of Chapter One, an early elementary reading tutoring program that embeds part-time tutors into the classroom to provide short bursts of 1:1 instruction. Eligible kindergarten students were randomly assigned to receive supplementary tutoring during the 2021-22 school year (N=818).…

Early literacy is a key developmental milestone for succeeding in school, yet far too many children in America, particularly the most socially vulnerable, are not meeting this key milestone. For example, NAEP data from 2013 shows that over 80% of Black and Latinx students are below proficient in reading by the end of fourth grade, as compared to…

E-texts afford interactive features that are not feasible with paper texts. Several studies have been conducted examining interactive features of E-texts, but it is uncertain what the overall effect is or what features may be most useful. The purpose of this study is to systematically review and meta-analysis of the findings comparing reading…

Despite decades of prior research, the mechanisms of skilled reading development remain elusive. Numerous studies have identified word recognition and oral language ability as key components to explain later reading comprehension performance. However, these components alone do not fully explain differences in reading achievement. There is ongoing…

South Carolina's Charter School Act of 1996 was passed for the primary reason of improving education for the state. A part of this improvement would come by way of charter schools providing innovative ways of teaching and learning. In 2017 WCSD was established, in hopes of answering the call of the 1996 Charter School Act by providing innovative…

The surge of support for the science of reading is cause for great cheer. According to the Albert Shanker Institute, 45 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws since 2019 to shift reading instruction based on what research says works. These laws often explicitly call for teaching phonics, phonemic awareness, and other skills that…

This review is an update to previous reviews and research in the area of family involvement in at-home learning. This update was needed to include additional relevant research, investigate potential moderators, and better understand when caregiver-implemented literacy interventions are most effective. This review and meta-analysis included 25…

In this brief, we use a nationally representative sample of ever-English learners (ELs; N = 783) to examine relations between EL concentration within classrooms and reading growth between kindergarten and Grade 5. Piecewise growth models were used to estimate relations for four developmental periods (K-1, Grades 1-2, Grades 2-3, and Grades 3-5).…

Rising rates of chronic absenteeism across the nation underscore the need to explore the impact of attendance on the foundational literacy skills of kindergarten students. The absence of young learners from school jeopardizes essential instruction pivotal for literacy development. This study draws on a quantitative correlational approach and…

In this article, the authors sought to discover if participation in formal debate programs translates into better academic achievement and attainment for students. First, individual debaters' reading and math test scores over time were looked at and students were compared to themselves in years when they did and did not participate in debate. The…

This study investigates the effects of different high school scheduling practices on student achievement in Mississippi, considering school economic status as a covariate. Using a robust factorial ANOVA design, the research analyzes reading proficiency, math proficiency, and Mississippi Statewide Accountability System school performance scores…