North Gem Elementary School

Institution

North Gem Elementary School
Bancroft, Idaho

Scope of Work

Reading scores are assessed by the state of Idaho three times yearly for grades K-3. North Gem Elementary implemented Discover Intensive Phonics in 1997.

Tool

Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) Test

Time Frame

Two-year study conducted between 2001-2003 (data collected quarterly throughout a given school year by the State of Idaho Department of Education).

The state of Idaho assesses reading scores by conducting the Idaho Reading Indicator (IRI) test three times each school year for students in grades K-3. Each school is required to meet certain reading achievement goals set by the state at each grade level.

Data

Evaluator's Observations

According to the North Gem IRI scores, 92 percent of third graders and 85 percent of Kindergarten students are reading at grade level. In 1997, before North Gem used Discover Intensive Phonics, the students had trouble with reading, as indicated by extremely low reading scores. Once the Discover Intensive Phonics program was firmly implemented, it is reported that improvement was made in a short period of time.

Involving parents is the key when helping students increase their reading levels. Parents have come in to see our first-grade students demonstrate their skills in the spring. They are amazed to see first graders confidently discuss such things as murmur diphthongs, diagraphs, special vowel combinations, and blends and are even more amazed to see them use them in their writing.

Students enjoy showing parents their word attack strategies and then reading the word. The harder the word, the greater the thrill of reading it.