Dogan Elementary Sheds IR Status With Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading

This case study features Dogan Elementary School, a PreK–5 public school in Houston, Texas, within the Houston Independent School District. The district serves a largely economically disadvantaged population, with 75% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and 32% having limited English proficiency. In 2017, Dogan Elementary received an Improvement Required (IR) rating from the state, signaling that 65% of students were not performing at grade level.

To address low reading proficiency, the school implemented McGraw Hill’s Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading programs. Reading Mastery supports younger students in mastering phonics, decoding, and comprehension, while Corrective Reading targets older students reading below grade level to strengthen accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. Teachers and volunteers provided intensive reading instruction twice daily, and staff were trained to ensure consistent use of Direct Instruction practices.

Within four months of implementation, students showed marked improvement. Texas Education Agency growth measures for fifth-grade reading rose from 36% to 75% overall, with African American students increasing from 21% to 88% and Hispanic students from 40% to 71%. Fifth-grade math growth also improved from 30% to 85% overall. Classroom teachers observed increased student confidence and improved behavior, noting that students who previously struggled began to enjoy reading and learning.

Dogan Elementary successfully exited IR status and continues to use Reading Mastery and Corrective Reading. School leaders attribute progress to structured lessons, performance data guiding instruction, and consistent teacher training. The programs are credited with helping both general education and special education students achieve measurable growth across subjects.