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Issue In Focus

Do Widely Used Interventions Help Close the Reading Gap?

The nation’s 16,000 school districts are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on educational products and services to help struggling readers. Yet we know little about the effectiveness of these interventions. A new report details findings from an experimental evaluation of parts or all of four widely used programs for elementary school students with reading problems—Corrective Reading, Failure Free Reading, Spell Read P.A.T., and Wilson Reading. Conducted in Pennsylvania's Allegheny Intermediate Unit, the evaluation explored the extent to which the programs affect both word-level reading and reading comprehension skills of students in grades three and five. Key findings show that the interventions improved some reading skills but did not improve state test scores. Furthermore, younger students benefited more, and the interventions narrowed some reading gaps. Read more.

News Releases

Medicaid Buy-In Program

(January 17, 2008)

New brief notes that better program design and benefits counseling are key to improving participation.

Company News

New Study on Charter Management Organization Effectiveness

Mathematica to Evaluate KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program)

Center for Studying Disability Policy

Ann Arbor Office Opened in January

New International Area Page Highlights Latest Work

New Publications

Chollet Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on State Health Access Initiatives

photo of Debra CholletThe inability of low- and middle-income families to afford health insurance is a problem that is reaching crisis proportions. A number of states have designed and implemented new programs intended to support insurance coverage and to close gaps in coverage for these families. Senior fellow Deborah Chollet testified before a House Appropriations Subcommittee at a hearing on Expanding Health Care Access. Read her statement on "State Comprehensive Access Initiatives."

Head Start Oral Health Initiative: Taking a Bite Out of Dental Disease

The prevalence of dental caries among low-income children is a health epidemic. A new report describes early experiences of 52 Head Start grantees implementing oral health models to address this problem. Most formed partnerships with dental professionals, local oral health coalitions, and advocacy groups to increase access to dental care for children and families. Education was central to the models. Read more about the study.