Boosting IAR Performance in Valley View Community Unit School District with Achieve3000 Literacy

This ESSA Tier 3 correlational study examines the impact of Achieve3000 Literacy, a digital literacy platform that delivers grade level lessons while differentiating instruction based on each student’s Lexile reading level. The program is designed to improve reading comprehension, fluency, vocabulary development, and writing proficiency.

The study was conducted in Valley View Community Unit School District, a public school district in Illinois. The analysis included students in grades 4 through 8 during the 2018–2019 school year. A total of 5,245 students were included in the sample. The student population included diverse demographic groups, with 47% identifying as Hispanic or Latino, 23% White, 19% Black or African American, 6% Asian, and smaller percentages representing other racial groups. In addition, 12% of students had special education status, 12% were English language learners, and 61% qualified for free or reduced lunch.

The methodology relied on a correlational analysis using internal Achieve3000 Literacy usage data, Lexile reading measures from the LevelSet assessment, and results from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) English Language Arts (ELA) test. LevelSet assessments were administered up to three times per year (beginning, middle, and end of year) to measure student Lexile growth. Students in the analysis had valid pre  and post Lexile scores, at least 60 days between assessments, and completed at least 10 multiple choice activity sets within the program. Outcomes examined included Lexile reading growth and performance on the IAR ELA state assessment.

Results indicated positive outcomes associated with Achieve3000 Literacy use. The percentage of students meeting or exceeding expectations on the IAR ELA increased from 70% in 2018 to 76% in 2019. Students demonstrating high program fidelity (45+ activities with an average first try score of 75% or higher) had particularly strong outcomes, with 92% meeting or exceeding standards. A strong positive correlation was found between Achieve3000 Lexile measures and IAR ELA scale scores (r = 0.77, p < 0.0001). Students also exceeded expected reading growth, achieving an average Lexile gain of 160L compared to the expected 76L.