Wisconsin Teachers Use Horizons to Customize Reading Lessons

Since 2003, 100% of Grade 3 students at Classical Charter School in Appleton, Wisconsin, have scored proficient or advanced in reading on the Wisconsin Reading Comprehension Test (WRCT). This success is attributed to the combined use of two McGraw Hill Direct Instruction programs, Horizons and Reading Mastery. This descriptive study outlines how the school, which opened in 1999, uses these programs to meet the specific needs of each student. Teachers use Horizons in Grades K-1 and Reading Mastery in Grades 2-3, allowing students to work ahead at their individual speeds. The school serves approximately 425 students in Grades K-8, with a student body that is 94% Caucasian and 7% qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has achieved Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) every year since it was mandated in 2002.