The Impact of the Implementation of a District Literacy Plan on StudentAchievement as Measured by the NWEA-MAP Reading Assessment

Abstract

Literacy instruction has long been a topic of debate in education. Many districtshave attempted to implement effective literacy programs that improve studentachievement. The purpose of this non-experimental, quantitative study was to determineto what extent a District Literacy Plan (DLP) affected student reading achievement scoreson the NWEA-MAP reading assessment. This study compared fall to spring readingcomposite gains scores of students four years prior to the implementation of District A’sliteracy plan (pre-DLP implementation) to fall to spring reading composite gains scoresof students four years after implementation (post-DLP implementation).Overall, the results of the study revealed that the implementation of the DLP didnot have a significant positive impact on student Northwest Evaluation AssociationMeasures of Academic Progress (NWEA-MAP) reading gains scores. Further, the studyshowed that there was no significant differential impact on MAP reading gains scoresbased on student gender, or based on whether students received English LanguageLearner (ELL) or special education services. However, the results indicated that therewere significant differential impacts on MAP reading gains scores based on studentsocio-economic status or SES and race/ethnicity. Students in the free/reduced lunchgroup had significantly lower gains scores post-DLP implementation, while students inthe full-pay lunch group showed no significant difference pre- and post-DLPimplementation. Black and Hispanic students’ reading gains scores were significantlylower post-DLP implementation, while White and Other students showed no significantdifference pre- and post-DLP implementation.