The Challenge

• The New York City Department of Education needed a proven instructional solution to help low-performing students reach proficiency in reading and become engaged, independent learners who could succeed in school.

The Solution

• New York City selected America’s Choice Ramp-Up Literacy to tackle the challenge, beginning in the 2003–04 school year. Thousands of students throughout the nation’s biggest school system, which includes 1,500-plus schools and 1.1 million students, were enrolled in Ramp-Up Literacy.
  

The Results

• America’s Choice tracked the performance of a large sample of 6th graders and 9th graders who were enrolled in Ramp-Up Literacy, using the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Assessments as a pre- and post-test measure.

• By the end of one school year in Ramp-Up Literacy, the 167 6th graders and 240 9th graders in the sampled population exceeded expected gains on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Assessments. All things being equal, students are expected to stay in the same level from year to year on normal curve equivalents for their grade levels. Middle school students grew by 9 points on the normal curve equivalent scale, while high school students grew by 4 points. The results show acceleration beyond one year’s growth.

Ramp-Up Literacy Students Accelerate Learning

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