Reading Resources

Evidence-Based Resources

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development supports school district efforts to invest in proven strategies that have an evidence base for effectiveness toward improving outcomes for children in our schools.

The term evidence-based, when used with respect to a State, local educational agency, or school activity, means an activity, strategy, or intervention that either –

demonstrated a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes –
1. strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental study; OR
2. moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study; OR
3. promising evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias;
  
  OR
demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research findings or positive evaluation (such as the National Reading Panel) that such activity, strategy, or intervention is likely to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes; AND includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy, or intervention.

(Section 8101(21)(A) of the ESEA)

The Every Student Succeeds Act defines four tiers of evidence, directing grantees to spend funds on practices with higher levels of evidence where the evidence base is strong, while allowing grantees to spend funds on all levels where the evidence base is developing.

The top three levels require at least one study that found a statistically significant effect on improving student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. The specific level of evidence (1-3) depends on the study’s design:

Required for all Title I School Improvement Plans
1. Strong	At least 1 well-designed and well-implemental experimental study (i.e., randomized).
2. Moderate	At least 1 well-designed and well-implemented quasi-experimental study (i.e. matched).
3. Promising	At least 1 well-designed and well-implemented correlation study with statistical controls for selection bias.
Included for all other uses of “evidence-based”s
4. Evidence Building	Demonstrates a rationale based on high-quality research or positive evaluation that such activity, strategy, or intervention is like to improve student outcomes or other relevant outcomes. Includes ongoing efforts to examine the effects of such activity, strategy or intervention.

DEED is providing these resources to provide districts with support in choosing evidence-based interventions or supplemental programs that can be used in Individual Reading Improvement Plans to improve students’ reading deficit areas. These are not intended to be an all-inclusive or exhaustive lists. These lists are a collection of reviewed programs vetted by other state departments of education, which we are providing to districts as a resource. While DEED has reviewed these lists, it does not endorse individual products. These will be growing and continually updated documents.

Resource List

Tier I Core Programs

A Core Program is aligned to the Science of Reading and the Alaska Reads Act.
It promotes systematic and explicit Tier I Instruction and is designed to teach
grade level standards for the five components of reading and oral language.
Instruction is designed in part for whole group and small group instruction and
leads to differentiation of instruction. Comprehensive instructional materials
are evidence-based, do not include three-cueing instructional practices
in the foundational skill instruction, and are designed to ensure all grade-level
content standards are addressed in sufficient depth, breadth, and utilizing a
learning continuum in a defined scope and sequence of interconnected skills
for all learners.

Supplemental & Intervention Programs

Digital-Based (Online) Programs

An Intervention Program is aligned to the Science of Reading and the Alaska
Reads Act and provides explicit, systematic, and sequential direct instruction,
does not include three-cueing instructional practices, and is evidence-based.
ESSA defines evidence-based as results from high- quality studies determining
the intervention to have positive effects. A desirable effect size is generally
considered to be .4 or greater. The intervention follows a logical plan focused
on a targeted area of reading development and is primarily provided in a small
group or one-to-one setting. This is intensive, explicit instruction that meets
the needs of individual students. This involves more time daily, above and
beyond Tier 1 or Core instruction, which is focused on the specific needs of the
student as identified by a diagnostic measure. Instruction can be intensified in
three ways: (1) more time, (2) more targeted instruction, and (3) smaller group
size.

A Supplemental Program is aligned to the Science of Reading and provides
additional Tier One instructional support to strengthen a core program. The
program meets criteria to support and extend the critical elements of core
instruction for one or more of the five components of reading because the core
program does not provide enough instruction or practice in a key area to meet
the needs of the students in a particular classroom or school. Supplemental
programs are often used to prevent achievement gaps before they occur. If
students need additional support beyond what the core program provides,
schools may elect to use a supplemental program, to reteach, differentiate
instruction, and individualize instruction, and to provide additional practice in
Tier II or Tier III. Instruction can be intensified in three ways for Tier II and Tier
III: (1) more time, (2) more targeted instruction, and (3) smaller group size.
This is not a replacement of core program materials and must not include
three-cueing instructional practices.

Evidence-based Early Literacy Curricula

This is a supportive resource for districts and schools seeking evidence-based instructional materials grounded in the Science of Reading.

The purpose of this list is to provide districts with support in choosing evidence-based early education literacy curriculum. This is not intended to be an all-inclusive or exhaustive list. This list also informs which programs have been additionally vetted and reviewed by other state department of educations. While DEED has reviewed these evidence-based programs, it does not endorse individual products.

Alignment of Literacy Screener with Diagnostic Measures

The following table is designed to assist you in using students’ mClass subtest data to determine appropriate diagnostic measures.To clarify the interventions that should be included in a student’s individual reading plan, review the subtests where the student’s score was low (or lower than other areas), identify one or more diagnostic measures from the recommended list to administer, and review the resulting data. This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of available diagnostics.