The Relationship between a Second and Third Grade Student’s Change in the Rateof Improvement in Reading Fluency and the Initiation of Special Education Services

Abstract

Writing individualized education plans (IEPs) that maximize the academicachievement of each student receiving special education services, specifically in the areaof reading fluency, is an ongoing struggle for educational leaders. The purpose of thisstudy was to determine if there was a change in the rate of improvement (ROI) in readingfluency for second and third grade students with the initiation of special educationservices. Additionally, the study was conducted to determine if IEP goal ambitiousness,the number of minutes per day receiving special education services, and the number ofinstructional accommodations and modifications, affected second or third grade students’change in ROI in reading fluency. This non-experimental study utilized reading fluencyscores for 24 participants who attended a large suburban school district in northeasternKansas. Students included in the study were evaluated for special education services forthe initial time during the 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 schoolyears. Reading fluency progress monitoring scores were collected 12-weeks prior tobeing identified as special education and 12-weeks after identification of specialeducation to determine what change in ROI in reading fluency occurred for each student.The results of a one-sample t test indicated that the initiation of special education servicesdid not have a significant impact on the change of a second or third grade student’s ROIin reading fluency. The results of an independent samples t test indicated that IEP goalambitiousness was statistically significant in affecting the change in ROI in readingfluency, but only for the second grade group of students. The results of the calculation ofa Pearson product moment correlation determined a moderate positive relationshipbetween the change in ROI in reading fluency for a second or third grade student and the number of minutes per day receiving special education services. The results of a onesample t test indicated the relationship between the two variables was marginallysignificant. Finally, the calculation of a Pearson product moment correlation determineda moderately weak negative relationship between the change in ROI in reading fluencyfor a second or third grade student and the number of instructional accommodations andmodifications. The results of a one-sample t test indicated the relationship between thetwo variables was not statistically significant. This study has implications for general andspecial education teachers, as well as district and building leaders, to ensure eachstudent’s special education services are accelerating the academic progress of the student.Suggested further research includes replicating the study with varied IEP goals andspecific instructional accommodations and modifications that may accelerate the ROI inreading fluency for a second or third grade student.