The Elements of an Effective Response to Intervention Program and Its Impact onMiddle School Reading Comprehension Scores

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Tier 3 (T3)interventions at the middle school level by analyzing the extent that there was adifference in the level of Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) proficiency and theamount of student growth on the STAR Reading Assessment when students wereenrolled in a research-based T3 program compared to a non-research-based T3 program.Students who were enrolled in seventh grade and participated in the T3 program in aKansas City, MO school district during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school yearsserved as the participants in this study. Four research questions were developed to meetthe purpose of the study and an independent samples t test was conducted to address eachresearch question. The results of the study identify there was not a statisticallysignificant difference between the research-based T3 program (READ 180) and the nonresearch-based T3 program (Reading Essentials). A marginally significant differencewas noted between the two T3 programs when the STAR Reading Assessment growthfrom fall to spring was compared.It was recommended that District X consider expanding research into theirReading Essentials program and identifying which components of the program proved tobe most beneficial. It was also recommended that District X continue to collect data ontheir T3 programs over multiple years to gain a better analysis of the programs’effectiveness over time. Future studies could be conducted that include qualitativecomponents like surveys of stakeholders utilizing the T3 programs. This type offeedback could provide the district with insight as to what is working for those involvedin the programs and what is not working for those involved in the programs.