Wilson Reading System®

Program Description

Wilson Reading System® is a complete reading curriculum targeted to 3rd grade students who did not perform to their grade level in previous grades. The program focuses on improving phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It is based off of Orton-Gillingham methods.

Student population

Wilson Reading System® was examined with 158 3rd grade students from urban and rural communicates in the United States. Populations studied include African American, White, and notable proportion were eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals.

Current evidence

Wilson Reading System® has been rated as Promising by Evidence for ESSA (https://www.evidenceforessa.org/program/wilson-reading-system/) for students in 3rd grade. Studies examining the effectiveness of Wilson Reading System® found significantly positive effects on the Woodcock Word Attack, and Word Identification. The program demonstrated an average effect size of +0.17.

For more information:

Website: https://www.wilsonlanguage.com/

Torgesen, J., Schirm, A., Castner, L., Vartivarian, S., Mansfield, W., Myers, D., Stancavage, F., Durno, D., Javorsky, R., and Haan, C. (2007). National Assessment of Title I, Final Report: Volume II: Closing the Reading Gap, Findings from a Randomized Trial of Four Reading Interventions for Striving Readers (NCEE 2008-4013). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Wilson Reading System®

Program Description

Wilson Reading System® is a complete reading curriculum targeted to 3rd grade students who did not perform to their grade level in previous grades. The program focuses on improving phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It is based off of Orton-Gillingham methods.

Student population

Wilson Reading System® was examined with 158 3rd grade students from urban and rural communicates in the United States. Populations studied include African American, White, and notable proportion were eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals.

Current evidence

Wilson Reading System® has been rated as Promising by Evidence for ESSA (https://www.evidenceforessa.org/program/wilson-reading-system/) for students in 3rd grade. Studies examining the effectiveness of Wilson Reading System® found significantly positive effects on the Woodcock Word Attack, and Word Identification. The program demonstrated an average effect size of +0.17.

For more information:

Website: https://www.wilsonlanguage.com/

Torgesen, J., Schirm, A., Castner, L., Vartivarian, S., Mansfield, W., Myers, D., Stancavage, F., Durno, D., Javorsky, R., and Haan, C. (2007). National Assessment of Title I, Final Report: Volume II: Closing the Reading Gap, Findings from a Randomized Trial of Four Reading Interventions for Striving Readers (NCEE 2008-4013). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.

Waterford Early Reading Level One

Program Description

 Waterford Early Reading Level One is a technology-based literacy program created for preschool-aged children. It offers individualized instruction through interactive computer lessons, beginning with a brief tutorial to help children learn how to navigate the program. Based on an initial placement test, students are guided through activities targeting early literacy skills like letter recognition, phonemic awareness, understanding of story structure, and other foundational reading abilities. The program is designed to be engaging and developmentally appropriate for young learners preparing to enter kindergarten.

Student Population

The program has been evaluated with preschool students enrolled in Head Start programs. One study involved 27 classrooms across six centers in southeastern New York. The children in the study came from diverse backgrounds, with 42% Black and 41% Hispanic, and represented a wide range of early literacy skill levels. These students were part of an early childhood education setting focused on supporting low-income families.

Current Evidence

According to the What Works Clearinghouse (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/541), research on Waterford Early Reading Level One found no clear impact on children's oral language development, but there was an effects size of +0.07 of print knowledge. While the program offers structured and adaptive instruction, the study reviewed by WWC did not find significant differences in these areas between students who used the program and those who received other forms of instruction.

For more information:

Website: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/541

PDF Report: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Docs/InterventionReports/WWC_Waterford_ECE_073007.pdf

Reference

What Works Clearinghouse. (2007). WWC Intervention Report: Waterford Early Reading Level One™. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences.

Success for All

Program Description

Success for All is a reading curriculum used to promote successful reading in high-poverty schools for grades K–5. The program focuses on improving phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary development. Each grade level has a specific learning goal to meet. If students are struggling, one-to-one or small group tutoring is implemented. Children are frequently assessed to aid the program in effectively teaching them. Success for All also provides parental support to help parents with their children’s achievement and social-emotional development and to deal with issues such as attendance and behavior problems.

Student population

Success for All was examined with 36,589 K-5 students from multiple schools in urban and rural communicates in the United States. Populations studied include African American, English Learners, Hispanic, White, Special Education, and a proportion were eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals.

Current evidence

Success for All has been rated as Strong by Evidence for ESSA (https://www.evidenceforessa.org/program/success-for-all-whole-class/) for students in grades K-5. Studies examining the effectiveness of Success for All found significantly higher scores in improving reading achievement for students, with positive effects on alphabetics, comprehension, and general reading achievement compared to control groups. The program demonstrated an average effect size of +0.29.

For more information:

https://www.successforall.org/

Borman, G. D., Slavin, R. E., Cheung, A. C. K., Chamberlain, A. M., & al, et. (2007). Final reading outcomes of the national randomized field trial of Success for All. American Educational Research Journal, 44(3), 701–731.

Correnti, R. (2009, March). Examining CSR program effects on student achievement: Causal explanation through examination of implementation rates and student mobility. Paper presented at the 2nd annual conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Washington, DC.

Madden, N., Slavin, R., Karweit, N., Dolan, L., & Wasik, B. (1993). Success for All: Longitudinal effects of a schoolwide elementary restructuring program. American Educational Research Journal, 30, 123-148.

Quint, J., Zhu, P., Balu, R., Rappaport, S., & DeLaurentis, M. (2015). Scaling up the Success for All model of school reform: Final report from the Investing in Innovation (i3) evaluation. New York, NY: MDRC.

Ross, S.M., Wang, L.W., Sanders W.L., & Wright S.P. (1999). Two- and three-year achievement results on the Tennessee value-added assessment system for restructuring schools in Memphis. Memphis, TN: University of Memphis, Center for Research in Educational Policy.

Success for All

Program Description

Success for All is a reading curriculum used to promote successful reading in high-poverty schools for grades K–5. The program focuses on improving phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary development. Each grade level has a specific learning goal to meet. If students are struggling, one-to-one or small group tutoring is implemented. Children are frequently assessed to aid the program in effectively teaching them. Success for All also provides parental support to help parents with their children’s achievement and social-emotional development and to deal with issues such as attendance and behavior problems.

Student population

Success for All was examined with 36,589 K-5 students from multiple schools in urban and rural communicates in the United States. Populations studied include African American, English Learners, Hispanic, White, Special Education, and a proportion were eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals.

Current evidence

Success for All has been rated as Strong by Evidence for ESSA (https://www.evidenceforessa.org/program/success-for-all-whole-class/) for students in grades K-5. Studies examining the effectiveness of Success for All found significantly higher scores in improving reading achievement for students, with positive effects on alphabetics, comprehension, and general reading achievement compared to control groups. The program demonstrated an average effect size of +0.29.

For more information:

https://www.successforall.org/

Borman, G. D., Slavin, R. E., Cheung, A. C. K., Chamberlain, A. M., & al, et. (2007). Final reading outcomes of the national randomized field trial of Success for All. American Educational Research Journal, 44(3), 701–731.

Correnti, R. (2009, March). Examining CSR program effects on student achievement: Causal explanation through examination of implementation rates and student mobility. Paper presented at the 2nd annual conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Washington, DC.

Madden, N., Slavin, R., Karweit, N., Dolan, L., & Wasik, B. (1993). Success for All: Longitudinal effects of a schoolwide elementary restructuring program. American Educational Research Journal, 30, 123-148.

Quint, J., Zhu, P., Balu, R., Rappaport, S., & DeLaurentis, M. (2015). Scaling up the Success for All model of school reform: Final report from the Investing in Innovation (i3) evaluation. New York, NY: MDRC.

Ross, S.M., Wang, L.W., Sanders W.L., & Wright S.P. (1999). Two- and three-year achievement results on the Tennessee value-added assessment system for restructuring schools in Memphis. Memphis, TN: University of Memphis, Center for Research in Educational Policy.

Success for All

Program Description

Success for All is a reading curriculum used to promote successful reading in high-poverty schools for grades K–5. The program focuses on improving phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary development. Each grade level has a specific learning goal to meet. If students are struggling, one-to-one or small group tutoring is implemented. Children are frequently assessed to aid the program in effectively teaching them. Success for All also provides parental support to help parents with their children’s achievement and social-emotional development and to deal with issues such as attendance and behavior problems.

Student population

Success for All was examined with 36,589 K-5 students from multiple schools in urban and rural communicates in the United States. Populations studied include African American, English Learners, Hispanic, White, Special Education, and a proportion were eligible for Free and Reduced Price Meals.

Current evidence

Success for All has been rated as Strong by Evidence for ESSA (https://www.evidenceforessa.org/program/success-for-all-whole-class/) for students in grades K-5. Studies examining the effectiveness of Success for All found significantly higher scores in improving reading achievement for students, with positive effects on alphabetics, comprehension, and general reading achievement compared to control groups. The program demonstrated an average effect size of +0.29.

For more information:

https://www.successforall.org/

Borman, G. D., Slavin, R. E., Cheung, A. C. K., Chamberlain, A. M., & al, et. (2007). Final reading outcomes of the national randomized field trial of Success for All. American Educational Research Journal, 44(3), 701–731.

Correnti, R. (2009, March). Examining CSR program effects on student achievement: Causal explanation through examination of implementation rates and student mobility. Paper presented at the 2nd annual conference of the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Washington, DC.

Madden, N., Slavin, R., Karweit, N., Dolan, L., & Wasik, B. (1993). Success for All: Longitudinal effects of a schoolwide elementary restructuring program. American Educational Research Journal, 30, 123-148.

Quint, J., Zhu, P., Balu, R., Rappaport, S., & DeLaurentis, M. (2015). Scaling up the Success for All model of school reform: Final report from the Investing in Innovation (i3) evaluation. New York, NY: MDRC.

Ross, S.M., Wang, L.W., Sanders W.L., & Wright S.P. (1999). Two- and three-year achievement results on the Tennessee value-added assessment system for restructuring schools in Memphis. Memphis, TN: University of Memphis, Center for Research in Educational Policy.

Stepping Stones to Literacy

Current evidence

https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/484

Reading Mastery

Program Description

Reading Mastery is a comprehensive, direct instruction program designed to help students in grades K–6 develop essential literacy skills. The program emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in reading components such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Reading Mastery can be used as a core reading curriculum or as an intervention for struggling readers. The program is structured to accelerate reading performance by using scripted lessons, careful pacing, and frequent assessments to guide instruction.

Student Population

Reading Mastery has been evaluated in multiple studies, including randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental designs. One key study involved 346 students in grades K–3 from schools serving predominantly low-income and diverse populations, including African American and Hispanic students. These students often began the program performing below grade level and received instruction in small groups.

Current Evidence

According to the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), Reading Mastery has mixed evidence of effectiveness (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_readmast_081010.pdf). It has demonstrated positive effects on reading achievement but no discernible effects on alphabetics, fluency, and comprehension. One randomized controlled study showed statistically significant improvement in reading achievement outcomes. For instance, in one study, the improvement index for reading achievement was +17 percentile points compared to the control group.

For more information:

Website: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/411

WWC Intervention Report (PDF): https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_readmast_081010.pdf

References

Stockard, J. (2010). Fourth graders’ growth in reading fluency: A pretest-posttest randomized control study comparing Reading Mastery and Scott Foresman Basal Reading Program. Eugene, OR: National Institute for Direct Instruction.

Yu, L., & Rachor, R. (2000, April). The two-year evaluation of the three-year Direct Instruction program, in an urban public school system. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.

Open Court Reading

Program Description

Open Court Reading is a comprehensive core reading program designed to build foundational literacy skills in students from kindergarten through grade 6. The program emphasizes systematic and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency. Lessons follow a structured sequence and include teacher-led instruction, guided practice, and independent reading. Open Court Reading also integrates science and social studies content to promote cross-curricular learning and includes assessments to monitor student progress.

Student Population

Open Court Reading has been studied with early elementary students, primarily in grades 1 and 2. The primary evaluation reviewed by the What Works Clearinghouse included 2,217 students from urban public schools. The sample consisted of students from diverse backgrounds, including a significant proportion of students eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch and English language learners. The study population included Black, Hispanic, and White students, reflecting a broad demographic range.

Current Evidence

Open Court Reading has mixed evidence of effectiveness, according to the What Works Clearinghouse(https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Docs/InterventionReports/wwc_opencourt_102114.pdf). One quasi-experimental study that met WWC standards with reservations reported a statistically significant positive effect on reading achievement, with an effect size of +0.15. However, evidence across multiple domains is limited. While there is some support for its effectiveness in improving alphabetics and fluency, the program did not demonstrate significant impacts in comprehension or general reading achievement across all studies. Based on this, the program does not currently qualify for the highest evidence ratings but shows promise in specific areas.

For more information:

Website: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/347

Borman, G. D., Dowling, N. M., & Schneck, C. (2008). A multisite cluster randomized field trial of Open Court Reading. Educational Evaluation & Policy Analysis, 30(4), 389–407.