Combination of Open Court Reading and Direct Instruction Equal Consistently High Reading Scores

The case study explores the long-term implementation of Open Court Reading and Direct Instruction programs at Sneads Elementary School in Sneads, Florida. This public PreK–5 school serves 509 students, with a demographic composition of 81% Caucasian, 14% African American, 2% Hispanic, and 3% multicultural. Fifty-two percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Open Court Reading has been the cornerstone of Sneads Elementary’s literacy curriculum since 1975, complemented by Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading for struggling readers. The study highlights consistently high reading scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), where the percentage of students scoring at or above Level 3 consistently exceeds the state average. For example, in 2004, 84% of Sneads students achieved Level 3 or higher, compared to 59% statewide. Additionally, Sneads students excelled on the SAT/9 assessment, with 96% of Grade 1 students and 90% of Grade 2 students scoring at or above the 50th percentile in 2003. The study attributes these achievements to the effective implementation of Open Court Reading strategies, supported by teacher collaboration and mentoring.