The Sustainability of a National Reading Reform Initiative in Two States

Although there have been any number of national reading reform efforts over the years, there is little evidence that such efforts have been sustained in schools over time. This study focused on addressing 2 questions: To what extent have Reading First schools in 2 states sustained the key elements of this reform over time? To what extent has student reading achievement continued to improve in these states over time? An online survey sent to all schools participating in Reading First in 2 states, follow-up interviews, and state reading achievement scores served as data sources. Findings indicated that most elements of Reading First were maintained 3 years after Reading First funding was terminated. Respondents were positive about the effect of Reading First in their schools. Schools in both states had shown a steady increase in the percentage of students who were proficient over the time of the initiative. In 1 state, this rate continued to improve, although the pace of the increase diminished; in the other state, there was a small but steady yearly decrease in the percentage of students achieving proficiency. We discuss factors contributing to this difference in achievement. Notes Note. DIBELS = Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills; PD = professional development. **p < .001. Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/urwl.