Reading Recovery in the News - March 2008

Reading Recovery Recovers, Sort Of
The Literacy Professional
By Jack Cassady
Winter 2008, p. 3

Reading Recovery, an intensive one-on-one tutoring program for struggling first graders, had fallen out of favor in recent years because of its expense and (supposedly) because of the lack of scientific evidence-based research on its effectiveness. Reportedly, federal officials tried to discourage states and districts from using Reading Recovery in schools that received federal Reading First monies. However, the federal What Works Clearinghouse (also dubbed the "nothing works" clearinghouse) found that Reading Recovery was the only supplemental program of the 36 reviewed to have positive effects across all four of the domains in the review - alphabetics, fluency, comprehension, and general reading achievement. The federal What Works Clearinghouse, which was formed in 2002 to take the place of the ERIC clearinghouses, only sanctions programs that have rigorous scientific research support.

Reading Recovery helps young readers thrive
Eccentric Newspaper, Livonia, MI
By Larry Ruehlen
March 27, 2008

Eric Gal, 6, once guessed at words he didn't know. Now he has all kinds of ways to figure them out and he is having more fun reading.

"Everything was there for him, he just had to pull it all together," said Lori Burke, a Reading Recovery teacher at Walled Lake Consolidated Schools' Pleasant Lake Elementary in West Bloomfield. "Now he's engaged in the story and laughs when he reads."

Eric is one of dozens of children at the school who get extra help through Reading Recovery. Developed in New Zealand 30 years ago, Reading Recovery now also operates in most states in the U.S. Lynn Mangold, Walled Lake's Reading Recovery coordinator, said the program is paying big dividends as students get help early in their educational careers that establishes the foundation for all future learning.
 

Stafford names teachers of year
Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, NJ
by Jessica Infante
March 27, 2008

STAFFORD — The township school district named Beth Bradley, Bernadette Dreher, Johanna Gentleman, Erika Leming and Tracy Osborne as 2007-08 Teachers of the Year on March 13.

Bradley is the Reading Recovery teacher at Oxycocus Elementary School and has been teaching for nearly two decades; nine of them have been in the township.

"This is my seventeenth year teaching," Bradley said. "I couldn't be more honored."

She said one of the thrills of the award is that it comes from her peers.

"Having your colleagues select you makes it that much more special," Bradley said. "It's the icing on the cake."
 

Randy Overbeck: Cuts for Reading Recovery don’t serve state’s children
Dayton Daily News, Dayton, OH
By Randy Overbeck
March 24, 2008

In this commentary, a local school official questions the priorities used by the Ohio Department of Education in making recent budget cuts. While most cuts ranged from 3 to 4 percent, the Reading Recovery training network was cut 20% for its first-year biennial budget. Dr. Overbeck points out that Reading Recovery is the only program to receive high marks from the U.S. Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse, while programs with poor or no ratings emerged unscathed.

“For those of us in the field – actually devoted to serving children on the ground – this is but one more example of questionable decision-making by the state superintendent and her staff,” writes Dr. Overbeck.

Continuing Diane Holum's legacy
The Independent, Marshall, MN
by Deb Gau
March 24, 2008

GRANITE FALLS — Teachers in the Yellow Medicine East School District were gathered for staff development on Thursday morning when they received the news that fellow teacher Diane Holum had died. When faced with the choice to take some time out or continue with staff development, YME Elementary Principal Stacy Hinz said, they decided to continue. It was what Ms. Holum would have wanted.

Minnesota educators and friends have created the Minnesota Literacy Scholarship in honor of Diane Holum, a Reading Recovery teacher leader. Ms. Holum, who died Wednesday after a fight with multiple myeloma, was a mentor and trainer for many area teachers . 

The Minnesota Literacy Scholarship will provide funds to allow teachers to continue their professional development by attending the National Reading Recovery & Classroom Literacy Conference. Contributions can be made online by going to the Reading Recovery Council of North America website. Enter "Minnesota Literacy" in the special instructions sections to direct the donation.

Ocean City approves $42M. school budget that hikes tax levy 4 percent
Press of Atlantic City, Atlantic City, NJ
March 20, 2008

The Ocean City school budget hearing included testimony from one parent who spoke about Reading Recovery’s benefit for his children. “That Reading-Recovery program has been essential in getting my daughters on the right track with reading," he said as his daughters, Nadia and Hanna Mae, looked on.

Community Business Briefs
Carroll County Comet, Delphi, IN
March 19, 2008

SHARON BROTHERS, a veteran teacher of the Delphi Community School Corporation, was a panelist for a recent Educational Testing Service national standard setting for reading. She was chosen for this national panel when she was a first grade teacher and a Reading Recovery teacher at Camden Elementary School.

During her time at Camden, she was instrumental in beginning the Reading Recovery program and in assisting other teachers to collaborate and build a consistently strong reading program. Her efforts, along with those of the entire staff, led to 4-Star School status for two years and qualifying scores in English/Language Arts for two additional years.
 

Reading Recovery Grounds Successful Literacy Program in Live Oak School District
Spotlight, Santa Cruz County Office of Education, CA, p. 3
By Bonnie Thurston
Winter, 2007

Nothing is more important to student achievement than high quality teaching. Successful school districts invest in programs that attract and retain excellent teachers. Live Oak School District has worked for many years to bring theory and practice together through teacher professional development, study groups, and coaching. At the heart of the professional development program is the district’s ongoing commitment to the Reading Recovery Training Program, an early intervention program for struggling young readers who have fallen behind their peers. Since 1994, Live Oak School District has trained not only all Title I teachers and kindergarten teachers, but also several first and second-grade teachers, special education teachers, all three elementary principals, and even the superintendent in Reading Recovery methods.

How Tutoring Fares Against NCLB
District Administration, p. 78
By Carla Thomas McClure
March 2008

The Research Corner analyzes the evidence for the effectiveness of tutoring provided under NCLB and finds the research base is small. The article notes Reading Recovery’s effectiveness.

“One-on-one tutoring is also integral to Reading Recovery, a research-based program that targets the lowest-achieving readers in first grade. In 2007 the What Works Clearinghouse gave the program a rare thumbs-up: Based on five studies that met its standards for rigor, the clearinghouse noted positive effects on general reading achievement and alphabetic skills and potentially positive effects on fluency and comprehension.”

Teachers' efforts recognized
Tri City Herald, Kennewick, WA
by Herald staff
March 13, 2008

Dora Noble, a Reading Recovery teacher and literacy coach at Robert Frost Elementary School in Pasco, Washington is one of ten winners to receive a Crystal Apple Award. She was the first teacher in Pasco to earn national Board Certification and is an executive member of the Washington State Educators Standards Board. The honorees are selected from a pool of nominees submitted by educators and community members. They get crystal apples, $1,000, and other prizes. Ten educators from the Mid-Columbia will be honored today with Crystal Apple awards for going the extra mile for their students.


Jordan Creek effort helps with reading
DesMoinesRegister.com, Des Moines, IA
By Micholyn Fajen
March 13, 2008

Jordan Creek Elementary School is testing a pilot of the Reading Recovery program to help students on the journey to lifelong reading success.

The early intervention reading program for first-graders is used in several schools in the metro area. The West Des Moines school district is training five teachers to assist students who need a boost.

Reading Recovery program to be restored
Allentown Morning Call, Allentown, PA
by Steve Esack
March 6, 2008

The Bethlehem Area School administration said Tuesday that it would be restoring Reading Recovery, a short-term, one-to-one reading intervention program for first-graders. But to save the licensed program, which costs $680,424, the district may have to make slight staffing changes to some of the 40 trained Reading Recovery teachers, said Mary Katona, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

Joanne LoFaso, one of the district's literacy and English language arts coordinators, was happy the district was keeping Reading Recovery.
 

Ingram teacher honored by Chamber
Kerrville Daily Times, Kerrville, TX
by Jeff Wright
March 4, 2008

Every school day for the past 12 years, Cindy Faust has taught Ingram Elementary students to be better readers and writers.

She spends lots of one-on-one time with first- and second-graders as part of an intensive, 20-week Reading Recovery Program.

“She can help you with reading and writing. ... She helps us say the words,” said one first-grader named Kelby.

Cindy recently was named 2007 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the West Kerr County Chamber of Commerce.

Support group's contribution to area students is very much appreciated
The Tennessean, Nashville, TN
by Jill Speering
March 4, 2008

Matthew had difficulty learning to read and write. After he repeated kindergarten and spent a half-year in first grade, his private school suggested further testing for special education.

Matthew's dad felt hopeless; but he enrolled Matthew in a Metro school, and within a month, Matthew began Reading Recovery, a first-grade intervention program for students who have difficulty learning to read and write.

After 20 weeks of individualized instruction that continued through the summer, Matthew tested at grade level in reading by the beginning of second grade. Today, Matthew continues to read at grade level in third grade.
 

Inman Elementary earns state reading award for taking kids on wonderful journey
Spartanburg Herald Journal, Spartanburg, SC
by Ashlei N. Stevens
March 3, 2008

Inman Elementary School was recently recognized with a statewide Exemplary Reading Award. The literacy-based school serves 525 K-3 students including more than half who live in poverty and who are still learning English. First graders who need extra help get one-to-one tutoring through Reading Recovery.