Doing Your Homework: Why Use Research Based Reading Programs? by Suzanne Whitney

Doing Your Homework:
Why Use Research Based Reading Programs?
by Suzanne Whitney, Research Editor, Wrightslaw

girl reading "I have three questions about research based reading programs according to NCLB and IDEA 2004. I want to make sure I am clear about reading programs."

Question #1

According to IDEA and NCLB, is it true that Reading Specialists are supposed to be using a research based program with all of their special education students?

Sue's Answer

Yes. Forget the terms and look at the reasoning.

What reasons can there be to use a program that is not based on research?

There needs to be a reason for the action taken. If a program is not chosen because there is evidence or proof or research that it is effective, then look to see why a program that is not research based was chosen.

Alternative reasons could be:

This is a one-size-fits-all program that the school team hopes will work.
This is the cheapest program the school could find.
This is the only program that school staff have been trained to use.
This is the program that the school has the most workbooks for.
This is the way tenured teachers like to teach.
This is the program the school board chair, an engineer, likes best.
This is not really a reading program at all, but they guess it will do the job.

Question #2

"Are the regular classroom teachers supposed to be using a research based reading program with the general education population according to NCLB?"

Sue's Answer

Yes.

In a general education classroom that does not use Title I money, there is nothing in NCLB to stop the teacher from using a program that has no research base or evidence of effectiveness.

But why would the school or the public allow it?

Poor practice should be abandoned because it is poor practice, not only when it is illegal. For a more complete explanation, read Do Legal Definitions in NCLB Apply to General Ed Programs?

Whether a particular school or school district must meet all standards in NCLB depends on which NCLB grants the school or district receives. However, I cannot imagine that informed taxpayers would ask their school board to provide an education that does not meet national and state minimum standards.

Question #3

"Can you tell me where I can find a list of Research Based Reading Programs and a list of assessments?"

Sue's Answer

These are good lists for research based programs. Some research based programs are appropriate for general ed classrooms and some are appropriate for both classroom and remediation. Read a little about different programs to find out which are appropriate in each setting.

Teacher Training Centers and Programs from the New Hampshire Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

Reading Programs and Assessments from the Florida Center for Reading Research.

Dyslexia Materials from Educator's Publishing Service.

Importance of Teacher Training

To my knowledge, no research has ever shown any program to be effective when:

the teacher was not trained in the program
the teacher did not use the program as it was intended to be used or,
with the group for whom it was designed to be used.

Progress Monitoring Assessments

These assessments are chosen because they can show growth over short periods of time. Other assessments may not be sensitive enough to do that for all the components of reading. Just looking at fluency or comprehension is not enough.

According to the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring, "Progress monitoring is a scientifically based practice that is used to assess students academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class."

Review of Progress Monitoring Tools from the National Center on Student Progress Monitoring.

Search for all types of assessments by name from the Buros Institute of Mental Measurements

Look at test descriptions to see what they look at and the age ranges to be tested.

Good Luck,
Sue

Meet Sue Whitney

Sue Whitney of Hollis, New Hampshire, is the research editor for Wrightslaw.

Sue is the co-author of Wrightslaw: No Child Left Behind (ISBN: 1-892320-12-4) that is published by Harbor House Law Press.

In Doing Your Homework, she writes about reading, research based instruction, No Child Left Behind, and creative strategies for using federal education standards to advocate for children and to improve public schools. Her articles have been reprinted by SchwabLearning.org, EducationNews.org, Bridges4Kids.org, The Beacon: Journal of Special Education Law and Practice, the Schafer Autism Report, and have been used in CLE presentations to attorneys. Sue Whitney's bio.

She is webmaster for the Special Education Resources for New Hampshire website. Sue has served on New Hampshire's Special Education State Advisory Committee on the Education of Students/Children with Disabilities (SAC) and has been a volunteer educational surrogate parent. She currently works with families as a special education advocate (www.suewhitney.com).

Revised: 02/24/09
Created: 11/23/07

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