Reading Scores Rise at Alabama Elementary With Reading Mastery Plus

After implementing McGraw Hill's Reading Mastery Plus program in fall 2005, Elba Elementary School in Alabama saw students' state reading scores begin to rise. The school serves approximately 470 students in grades K-6, with 72% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is 55% African American and 42% Caucasian. This descriptive study highlights the results after two years of implementation. On the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT), the percentage of Grade 3 students meeting or exceeding standards increased from 80% to 88%. Similarly, Grade 5 student performance increased from 71% to 83%, and Grade 6 students rose from 88% to an impressive 94% proficiency rate. The school attributes this success to the program's systematic, direct instruction style, which keeps students engaged and provides teachers with a clear, organized teaching method.