The Literacy Lab is an AmeriCorps grantee and a national replication partner of the Reading Corps model. Literacy Lab provides valuable support for students who enter the school year reading below grade level targets. In order to ensure students reach their growth targets, Literacy Lab considers piloting variations of their model in different locations.
 
Study Goals:
This study examines the Literacy Lab’s replication of the K-3 Reading Corps programs in Washington D.C., Virginia, Missouri, and Maryland.
 
Research Questions:
The primary research questions were:
  • Do students who receive support from Literacy Lab tutors have significant improvement in their reading scores?
  • Do students who don’t receive support from Literacy Lab tutors have significant improvement in their reading scores?
  • Do students that receive support from Literacy Lab tutors show more reading improvement than students who don’t receive support?
  • Do students that receive support from Literacy Lab tutors exceed the average weekly growth goals for their grade level?
  • Does the effectiveness of Literacy Lab vary by grade?
  • Does the effectiveness of Literacy Lab vary by geographic location?
Results:
The study found the following:
  • Within each grade level and on each assessment, students who received support from Literacy Lab tutors showed significant gains during the school year.
  • Within each grade level and on each assessment, students who didn’t receive support from Literacy Lab tutors showed significant gains during the school year.
  • For both assessments of first-grade students, there was no significant difference between baseline scores for students who received support from Literacy Lab tutors and those who didn’t.
  • For kindergartners, second-grade students, and third-grade students, those who received support from Literacy Lab tutors tested significantly higher than those who didn’t.

For more information, download the full report.

Full report

Full Report
TheLiteracyLab_19ND211496_Report_Revised_508.pdf

Further information

Program/Intervention
Reading Corps
Implementing Organization
The Literacy Lab
Intermediary(s)

The Literacy Lab

AmeriCorps Program(s)
AmeriCorps State and National
Age(s) Studied
6-12 (Childhood)
Outcome Category
K-12 success
Study Type(s)
Impact
Study Design(s)
Quasi-Experimental (QED)
Level of Evidence
Strong
Researcher/Evaluator
Inciter: Sarah Pepper, Erica Fissel
Study Site Location (State)
District of Columbia