Seattle School Boosts Reading Scores with Reading Mastery Curriculum

The African American Academy in Seattle, Washington, a Title I school serving 435 students in grades PreK-8, has seen significant improvement in reading achievement after implementing McGraw Hill's Reading Mastery program. The student population is 94% African American, and 89% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The program was fully implemented in grades K-3 starting in the 2001-2002 school year. This case study shows that between 2003 and 2006, the percentage of Grade 4 students meeting or exceeding state reading standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) jumped from 42% to 85%. School leadership credits the program's direct instruction approach with giving students "power and confidence in reading," contributing to the dramatic increase in reading proficiency.