The Effect of Rigby Literacy by Design on Student Reading Growth

Abstract

The setting for this study was a Midwest suburban school district (Yar SchoolDistrict) outside of Kansas City. The population included 2009-2010 third graders, 2010-2011 fourth graders, and 2011-2012 fifth graders attending the Yar School Districtelementary schools during the 2009-2012 school years. During this time, the districtfully implemented Rigby Literacy by Design. The purpose of this study was toinvestigate the effect of Rigby Literacy by Design on student reading growth, asmeasured by AIMSweb and MAP Communication Arts assessment scores. Thedependent variable was measured as the difference in fluency scores from third grade tofourth grade, fourth grade to fifth grade, and third grade to fifth grade on the fluencyportion of the AIMSweb assessments and the scale score from the Communication Artspart of the MAP state assessment. The independent variables in the study were testinterval, gender, socio-economic status, race, and special education status of students.Analyses used to address the first and second research questions revealed themain effect for test interval was statistically significant, indicating that students receivingRigby Literacy by Design instruction had a positive mean score change as measured byAIMSweb. Gender had a marginally significant effect on reading achievement. Femalescores went up from third grade to fourth grade and fourth grade to fifth grade, whilemale scores slightly decreased between the fourth grade and fifth grade. Free or reducedmean percentages increased from third grade winter to third grade spring and third gradespring to fourth grade fall. Unreduced mean percentages increased from fifth grade fallto fifth grade winter. However, race and special education status did not affect the reading growth among students receiving Rigby Literacy by Design as measured byAIMSweb.Analyses conducted to address the third research question indicated that studentswho received Rigby Literacy by Design instruction had positive mean score changes asmeasured by MAP Communication Arts assessment. Females outperformed males inthird grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade, although gender and socio-economic status didnot affect the reading growth among students receiving Rigby Literacy by Designinstruction as measured by MAP Communication Arts assessment. Race and specialeducation status affected the reading growth among students receiving Rigby Literacy byDesign as measured by MAP Communication Arts assessment.This study provides evidence that Rigby Literacy by Design has an overall effecton reading achievement. School systems searching for interventions that will providegrowth for students who are not proficient readers have evidence regarding RigbyLiteracy by Design’s effect on overall reading growth. Recommendations for furtherresearch include modifying the study to include a longitudinal design to expand thelength of the study, incorporating middle school students. A second recommendation isto add a qualitative component to the study, which would analyze student and teacherperceptions on small group reading instruction in a balance literacy format. A thirdrecommendation is to expand the study to additional school districts with varying studentpopulations.