The District-Wide Effectiveness of Achieve3000 Literacy: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of Achieve3000 Literacy on 1,957 students in grades 4-8 in the Chula Vista, California, school district during the 2011-2012 academic year. The performance of students using the program was compared to a matched group of 7,598 students from similar district schools not using the program. The study used propensity score matching (IPTW) to ensure the groups were comparable. The primary outcome measure was the California Standards Test (CST) for English Language Arts. The results showed that students using Achieve3000 Literacy had statistically significant higher posttest scores compared to the control group. The overall effect size was 0.04 after adjusting for covariates. The program's effectiveness varied by grade, with the largest and most statistically significant effects observed in Grade 4 (effect size = 0.10, p < .001), Grade 7 (effect size = 0.40, p < .001), and Grade 8 (effect size = 0.17, p < .05). The findings provide evidence that Achieve3000 Literacy had a positive impact on student ELA outcomes in this district.