Test Scores Transform Troubled School into National Model

In Portland, AR, a small town with a population of 552, the local elementary school has become a national model for reading achievement. In 2000, only 45% of Grade 4 students were proficient on the Arkansas Benchmark Reading and Writing Literacy Exam. By 2004, that percentage had doubled to 90%, surpassing both top comparable schools (77%) and the statewide average (68%). This turnaround is attributed to the implementation of Reading Mastery in Grades K-6, starting in 1995. The school also uses Language for Learning in Grades K-3. The study methodology involved observing a nearby school using the Direct Instruction strategy and then adopting it with the help of outside consultants. The school, which serves approximately 170 students (80% Caucasian, 12% African American, 8% Hispanic, 76% free/reduced lunch), saw consistent gains. By 1998, the school was outscoring the state on the SAT/9 test, and in 2003, fifth graders scored a mean national percentile of 63, seven points higher than the rest of the state.