Maine Reading Recovery Implementation Report: 13th Year

December 2003

Teacher Leaders and Teachers

Reading Recovery was first implemented in Maine in 1991-92. Paula Moore was a University Trainer in New Zealand, and two teacher leaders were trained out of state. In 1992-93, there were 3 trained teacher leaders and 7 teacher leaders in training. Over the next 9 years, the number of trained active teacher leaders held steady at between 10 and 13, then increased again to 15 trained teacher leaders in 2002-003. Since 1991-1992, 27 teacher leaders have been trained in Maine, including two Canadians.

Table 1. Number of Trained Active and In-Training Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders in Maine By School Year

d

In 1991-92, there were 23 Reading Recovery teachers in training in Maine. The number of teachers in training increased each year until 1996-97, when 70 teachers were trained. Since then, the number has stayed at between 30 and 50 per year. 35 teachers are currently in training. The number of trained and actively teaching teachers rose every year to 270 in 1997-98 and has remained stable up to 2002-03. In the past 12 years, 545 Reading Recovery teachers have been registered in Maine, while 325 have left for personal reasons (e.g. illness or retirement) or to return to classroom positions, as recommended in the Reading Recovery literature.

Table 2. Number of Trained and In-Training Reading Recovery Teachers Actively Teaching in Maine By School Year

d

Districts and Schools Offering Reading Recovery Services

In 1991-1992, 8 school districts (including E.U.T's, C.S.D's, Unions, S.A.D's and Cities and Towns) covering 15 schools were served by 2 teacher leaders. The number of school districts offering Reading Recovery increased every year to peak at 104 in 1997-98. Since then, the numbers have remained stable. In 2002-03, there were 103 school districts in Reading Recovery.

Table 3. Number of School Districts Participating in Reading Recovery By School Year

d

In 1991-1992, there were 15 schools participating in Reading Recovery. Over the next 11 years, this number increased steadily as some schools moved towards full implementation while others moved part-time trained teachers into full-time Reading Recovery positions or re-assigned Reading Recovery teachers to mainstream literacy classes. In 1997-98, the number of participating schools peaked at 220. Since then, the numbers have remained stable. In 2002-2003, there were 214 schools participating in Reading Recovery.

Table 4. Number of Schools Participating in Reading Recovery By School Year

d

Children Served and Children on Discontinued Status

In 1991-1992, 163 students were served in Reading Recovery. The numbers of children served increased substantially every year to peak at 2,524 in 1999-2000. In 2001-2002, 2,469 children were served. Over the past 11 years, a total of 18,507 children have been served by Reading Recovery. These numbers do not include many thousands of Maine students who have benefited from enhanced literacy instruction by Reading Recovery teachers who have returned to classroom positions, a consistent theme in the qualitative data.

Table 5. Numbers of Reading Recovery Children Served Each School Year

d

After receiving no more than 12-20 weeks of Reading Recovery lessons, children are discontinued when they achieve standards for Grade 1 literacy. In 1991-1992, 102 children were discontinued. The numbers climbed each year until in 1997-98, over 1,000 children were discontinued. Over the past 11 years, a total of 9,833 children have been discontinued. These numbers are remarkable given that Reading Recovery students started out as the lowest achievers in first grade.

Table 6. Number of Children Discontinued Each School Year

d

Summary and Conclusions

With state funding, Reading Recovery implementation has increased steadily, as shown in the previous graphs. Maine is the first state to achieve full implementation at the teacher leader level, that is, there are currently enough teacher leaders to train the teachers required to meet the needs of all Maine students for Reading Recovery services. Cost-benefit data show that providing the funding to meet the needs of all students can save on more costly interventions such as special education. However, it will take more state funding to achieve full implementation at the school level and to serve all children who need Reading Recovery.

____________________________________________________________________

For more information see the Center for Early Literacy web site at www.umaine.edu/cfl or contact the Center by mail at 5766 Shibles Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5766 or by phone at (207) 581-2438.