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System 44: KIPP NYC (2014–2015)

At a glance

  • Demonstrates a Rationale
  • Programs: System 44®, Read 180®
  • Subjects: Literacy Curriculum, Intervention Curriculum
  • Report Type: Efficacy Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary, Middle
  • Region: Northeast
  • Population: English Learners, Students with Disabilities
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • District Size: Medium
  • Implementation Model: 40-59 Minutes, 60-79 Minutes, 80+ Minutes
  • District: KIPP NYC, New York City, NY
  • Participants: N=193
  • Outcome Measure: Northwest Evaluation Association Measures of Academic Progress (NWEA MAP), Reading Inventory, Phonics Inventory
  • Evaluation Period: 2014–2015
  • Study Conducted by: Scholastic Research

Read 180 now incorporates the comprehensive foundational literacy skills scope and sequence from System 44.

Overview

System 44 Students at KIPP NYC Exceed Growth Expectations in Reading

Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. KIPP NYC, a part of the national network, consists of 10 schools enrolling approximately 3,600 students in Grades K–12. There are four elementary schools, five middle schools, and one high school in KIPP NYC. The majority of the student body is African American (48%) or Hispanic (49%) and receives free or reduced-price lunch (88%). Fifteen percent are students with disabilities, and 8% are English learners (EL). The student attendance rate is 95.4%, and the annual student mobility rate is 5%. KIPP NYC’s mission is “to teach our students to develop the character and academic skills necessary to succeed in high school and college, to be self-sufficient, successful, and happy in the competitive world, and to build a better tomorrow for themselves and us all.”

During the 2014–2015 school year, 193 third through eighth grade students in five of KIPP NYC’s middle schools were selected to participate in a study of System 44’s effectiveness. Students scoring Below Basic on the Reading Inventory® and as Pre-Decoders, Beginning Decoders, or Developing Decoders on the Phonics Inventory® were placed into System 44 classrooms at KIPP NYC where they were expected to receive 45 to 90 minutes of instruction five times per week. The model varied across the schools with some classrooms using a stand-alone System 44 implementation and some classrooms using an integrated READ 180/System 44 model.

Results

Data from NWEA® MAP®, the Reading Inventory, and the Phonics Inventory were collected and analyzed for 193 students (18 third graders, 13 fourth graders, 133 fifth graders, 22 sixth graders, 3 seventh graders, and 4 eighth graders) who used the program during the 2014–2015 school year. There was a significant relationship between System 44 use and student outcomes. Students completing more software sessions demonstrated significantly greater gains on MAP and the Reading Inventory (see Graph 1), as well as gains on the Phonics Inventory (see Graph 2).

1 4 Kipp Graph 1

GRAPH 1. KIPP NYC School Students, Grades 3–8 (N=193)

Reading Inventory Growth as a Function of System 44 Software Usage, 2014–2015

Note. High Usage=More than 115 session, Medium Usage=75–115 sessions, and Low Usage=Less than 75 sessions.

1 4 Kipp Graph 2

GRAPH 2. KIPP NYC Students, Grades 3–8 (N=193)

Phonics Inventory Total Fluency Growth as a Function of System 44 Software Usage, 2014–2015

Students averaged a significant gain of 11 RIT points on MAP, with 75% of students meeting or exceeding typical yearly Fall to Spring MAP growth. Students grew an average of 273L on the Reading Inventory, and 80% met or exceeded annual average growth. Forty-nine percent of students met or exceeded two times their annual average growth. On average, students demonstrated significant gains in both Phonics Inventory Accuracy (6.8 points) and Fluency (10.7 points).

For former ELs, 91% exceeded typical MAP growth, and 100% exceeded typical Reading Inventory growth (see Graph 3). For students with disabilities, 80% exceeded typical MAP growth, and 72% exceeded typical Reading Inventory growth (see Graph 4).

1 4 KIPP Graph 3

GRAPH 3. KIPP NYC English Learner Students, Grades 3–8 (N=193)

English Learners: Impact of System 44 on MAP and Reading Inventory Growth, 2014–2015

1 4 Kipp Graph 4

GRAPH 4. KIPP NYC Students with Disabilities, Grades 3–8 (N=193)

Impact of System 44 on MAP and Reading Inventory Growth, 2014–2015