The research, conducted over the academic year from fall 2021 to spring 2022, measured students’ reading growth in grades 1-3 across two school districts in Michigan. The control and treatment districts were selected based on their comparability regarding the following characteristics:

The Results Are In

During the 30+ weeks of implementation, teachers in the treatment district spent an average of 150 minutes a week using IMSE OG strategies in their classrooms. The students taught using these IMSE OG strategies exhibited higher gains on AIMSweb® Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Scores compared to the control group.

On average, the students taught by IMSE OG-trained teachers saw an average increase in ORF scores of 42.82 points from the fall to the spring versus the control group, which only saw an average increase in ORF scores of 33.38 points.

First Graders

At the end of the school year, the first-grade IMSE OG-taught students surpassed the control group, with an ORF score of 64.61 points compared to the control’s 52.72, even after they had started below the control group with ORF scores of 20.41 (compared to the control’s 24.84).

Second Graders

Second-grade students taught by IMSE OG-trained teachers increased ORF proficiency scores by 44.76 points, while those in the control group only increased their ORF scores by 39.4.

Third Graders 

In spring, the third-grade treatment group outperformed the control group in ORF scores by 5.39 points, even with the students in the control group leading by 1.27 points in the fall.

The results of this research extend far beyond the confines of a single study. IMSE is committed to providing teachers with the necessary knowledge, tools, and support they need to implement OG strategies effectively. This research not only validates the impact of IMSE OG but also inspires a renewed focus in the pursuit of unlocking literacy success for every student.

For more information on the Kent State University IMSE OG Efficacy Study, read the full report here.

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