Student Achievement

Dunklin County Caring Communities Partnership

 

Core Result: Children succeeding in school
Benchmark: MAP scores Arts Communication

February 2002

Objective
To increase the percentage of 3rd grade students at Masterson Elementary School scoring proficient on MAP Communication Arts Test from 12 percent in 1998 to 20 percent in 2004.

Strategies
We know that to succeed in school all students need good reading skills. The Dunklin County Caring Council, Masterson Elementary School, and parents developed an innovative after-school program known as the Reader’s Theater (implemented 1999). The program goal is to measurably improve the reading performance of first and second grade students by ensuring that children learn to read at grade level. Students attend two days each week. The program increases parental involvement in reading activities, improves reading comprehension and standardized test scores and provides links to caring adults. The STAR Reading Test is used to measure the success of the Reader’s Theater.

Students significantly improve their reading level!

Results
Reading test scores are important measures of students reading skills as well as indicators of overall school achievement. The percent of Masterson 3rd grade students proficient in Communication Arts increased from 12 percent in 1999 to 19 percent in 2000. Proficiency declined slightly in 2001.

Funding/Return on Investment
Initially, Dunklin County Caring Council fully funded the Reader Theater Program. As the school district realized the value of the program, they increased their investment to over 50% funding.

Opportunity
Our goal is to implement reading programs in all school districts in Dunklin County. The largest schools were chosen as pilot sites. As funding becomes available, additional schools will be added until all Dunklin County schools participate in the program.