The Challenge

• The Arkansas Department of Education realized it needed to address an adolescent literacy problem across the state with a solution for middle school students who were seriously behind in literacy.

The Solution

• Arkansas chose the America’s Choice School Design for its lowest-performing schools. The design includes the Ramp-Up Literacy program.

The Results

• 282 6th-grade students who scored at the 20th percentile on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Assessment were post-tested after participating in the course.

• By the end of one school year, Ramp-Up Literacy students exceeded expected gains on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Assessments.

• All things being equal, students are expected to stay at the same level from year to year on the normal curve equivalent scale. America’s Choice students’ performance improved by 5 points on the normal curve equivalent scale.

These results show accelerationof achievement beyond one year’s growth.

In One Year,  Student Performance
Exceeds Growth Expectations

Increase in normal curve equivalents on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading
Assessment as a result of Ramp-Up Literacy participation