At a glance
- Programs: System 44®, Read 180®
- Subjects: Intervention Curriculum, Literacy Curriculum
- Report Type: Efficacy Study
- Grade Level: Middle
- Region: West
- Population: Students with Disabilities, Students with Specific Learning Disabilities, Students with Dyslexia
- Race/Ethnicity: White
- District Urbanicity: Suburban
- District Size: Small
- Implementation Model: 0-39 Minutes, 40-59 Minutes, A/B Model
“Reading is much easier. I’m more confident. Before, I couldn’t read and that was discouraging. . . I knew that [Read 180 Code and Comprehension] helped me. I was glad that it all paid off!”
Lillly, now a ninth grade student, began her journey at the Charles Armstrong School in second grade when she was first diagnosed with dyslexia. Although she entered second grade not knowing how to read, she was surrounded by a supportive community that prioritized evidence-based reading instruction throughout her elementary and middle school years. By the time she graduated from the Armstrong School in eigth grade, she had achieved grade-level reading proficiency. During the years between 2018-2021, Lilly used the Read 180 Foundational Skills program (formerly System 44) and the Read 180 Comprehension program (formerly Read 180 Universal) to help accelerate her reading.
Reading achievements during two years of using Read 180 Foundational Skills:
- Achieved grade-level reading comprehension
- 23% increase in Phonics Inventory Accuracy score
- 28% increase in Reading Inventory Lexile score
- 265% increase in Track My Progress percentile
- 76% increase in Oral Reading Fluency WCPM
Reading Achievements after one year of using Read 180 Comprehension:
- Met growth expectations in reading comprehension on College and Career Readiness goals
- Additional 8% increase in Reading Inventory Lexile score
- Additional 15% increase in Track My Progress percentile
Lilly's hard work and determination throughout her use of the Read 180 Foundational Skills (also referred to as the Code portion of the program) has taken her on a journey from academic struggle to confidence and accomplishment. At the beginning of sixth grade, Lilly was continuing to work on decoding skills and was enrolled in the intensive literacy intervention program, Read 180 Code. Over the next two years, Lilly worked hard both at school and at home to fully complete the Read 180 Code online Student Application, and her reading achievement scores reflected her efforts. Impressively, Lilly’s scores on the Track My Progress reading comprehension test soared from the 20th percentile prior to using the Read 180 Code program to the 53rd percentile after Read 180 Code enrollment, indicating grade-level proficiency for reading skills aligned to common core state standards. Additionally, Lilly’s Oral Reading Fluency increased from a 38 to 67 words correct per minute (WCPM). The additional targeted practice through Read 180 Code helped increase her automaticity and fluency in both word-level reading and in reading connected text.
By the end of seventh grade, Lilly had achieved a 28% increase in HMH Reading Inventory Lexile scores, from 752L to 962L, and increased from a “Basic” to a “Proficient” performance level. With the help of her teachers and Read 180 Code, Lilly achieved accelerated growth in reading comprehension and began her eighth-grade year prepared to meet its rigorous expectations.
Lilly had mastered the foundational skills of reading but still felt that trying to get through a book from cover to cover was difficult. To further support her reading comprehension growth, Lilly was placed in the Read 180 Comprehension portion of the program during eighth grade. Lilly enjoyed the subject matter in Read 180, expressing that she appreciated content geared toward older kids, and she particularly liked learning about endangered species.
After one year of Read 180 Comprehension-focused instruction, Lilly again showed accelerated growth in reading comprehension compared to her initially same-scoring peers. On Track My Progress reading tests, Lilly scored better than 53% of her peers after completing Read 180 Code but better than 61% of her peers after completing Read 180 Comprehension. By the end of eighth grade, Lilly had achieved a further 8% increase in Reading Inventory Lexile scores, from 962L to 1043L, demonstrating reading comprehension growth on track with College and Career Readiness goals. Lilly’s confidence in reading soared, and she recognized the outcomes of her efforts, saying, “I have become a better reader by doing the practice and putting time in practice.”
Lilly is no longer a struggling student as a high school student and reports, “Homework doesn’t seem that hard now.” Lilly finds it challenging to make time for everything, but in addition to enjoying biology, lacrosse, and hanging out with friends, when she reads for fun, Lilly has a new love for dystopian novels. The possibilities of her future are now endless, and she would like to use her creativity and pursue a career in the creative arts.