Accelerated Reader program a hit

The library at Federal Way's Brigadoon Elementary, once a forgotten zone, is now abuzz.

Every table is occupied. Others share bean-bag chairs and read books. And all the computer stations are filled with students taking tests on books they've recently read.

Principal Sandy Huggins says the reading frenzy is fueled by a popular program: Accelerated Reader.

The program, developed in the mid-1980s by a Wisconsin mother as a way to help her children, rewards students with points for reading books on a specified reading list and passing computer-based comprehension tests.

It has become one of the most popular computer-based learning programs in the nation, used in about 62,000 schools, including about 2,300 in Washington state, said a spokesperson for Renaissance Learning, which produces the program.

"What's fun is the kids are reading and they come in and discuss what they're reading with me," said Brigadoon librarian Teresa Bateman. "Before we had AR, the kids were reading, but they'd come in once a week, check out a book and that was it. Now, I see the same kid once or twice a day." Though popular, the program has been criticized for rewarding students with prizes — even candy — for reading. Others cite its price tag — Brigadoon spent $8,000 last year on AR, which includes a test to determine a student's reading level, computer comprehension tests for each book on a reading list and books on the AR list.

Even Huggins said that, at times, spending money on the program has been like "throwing money into a black hole."

But those who use the program say the investment has paid off. In 1999, the year after the program was implemented at Brigadoon, the percentage of fourth-graders who met the reading standard on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning increased from 46 to 67. That percentage increased to 73 percent last year, higher than the statewide average of 65.6 percent.

Brigadoon and other schools say the program has helped them achieve an even bigger goal: helping children learn to love reading.

"We want to foster the love for reading and develop lifelong readers," said Susan Creager, reading specialist at Sunrise Elementary in the Northshore School District. "We want students to get hooked on authors and different genres. Reading's another piece of who they are. It's something they can always have as a pleasure activity."

Students set pace

Before students begin the Accelerated Reader program in most schools, they take a 10-minute computerized assessment test that helps teachers determine a student's reading level.

More than 55,000 titles in the AR library are grouped by various levels. The titles range from classics such as John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," to newer ones such as Dav Pilkey's "Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets."

"Before, just even suggesting a book to a student was always a guess — will it be something they'd understand?" said Jeff Snyder, a third-grade teacher at Sunrise Elementary. "Now, the kids have the power to go look for books that are at their level."

At Brigadoon, where all 500 kindergarten-through-sixth-grade students participate in AR, students devote between 10 minutes and one hour in AR reading during the school day. They also are asked to read 10 to 30 minutes a night at home. Students read at their own pace, and the program does not set deadlines to complete books. Fifth-grader Chelsea Harrison recently completed a nonfiction book, "You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic," by David Stewart.

On a classroom computer, Chelsea opens the AR software, locates her name, enters a password and types in the name of the book she just read. One question asked: "What ship came to rescue the Titanic?"

A. S.S. Carpathia; B. Lucitania; C. HMS Gigantica; D. Californian. (answer: A)

Another question was: "Where were survivors taken?"

A. Halifax; B. London; C. Stockholm; D. New York. (answer: D)

Students are asked 10 to 25 questions, depending on the book's complexity. At the conclusion of the test, students also rate the book as excellent, very good, OK or bad.

The software tabulates the students' score. If any questions were missed, the students are shown the correct answer.

A copy of the student's reading progress is then printed, which includes how many points he or she has accumulated. A student needs to score at least 60 percent to move on to a new book.

Teachers, in addition, can track a student's progress by seeing their current reading level, what books they've read, points they've accumulated and test scores. The software can track students' performance over a number of years.

"You know if they had a basic understanding of the book, by looking at the percent correct," Snyder said. "You don't always get that from a book report. You don't always have time to sit down and have a conference about every book a student has read."

Rewards given to read

At Brigadoon, students are rewarded for accumulating points and meeting goals. They also move up the ranks from "Independent Reader" to "Star Reader" and beyond.

Every time students reach a new level of achievement, they receive a certificate, balloon and button. Everyone in the school also keeps a necklace, with the number of beads on it denoting how much they've read. In the principal's office, point clubs tout the names of students who have read the most and Huggins reads the names of students who have met their personal goals over the intercom.

A game also centers on the number of points the entire school can accumulate. This year, every time the students reach a new point total, Spunky McPaws, the school mascot, travels to a new destination on a giant map in the school gym. "It helps little kids get into reading because they get necklaces and beads and it makes them work harder and want to read more," said Nick Hodgins, a Brigadoon fifth-grader. "I already like to read, but it makes me want to read more. It's a challenge."

Accelerated Reader lets schools decide whether to award prizes. At Sunrise Elementary, parents recommended and teachers voted to downplay rewards. In some classes, students who meet their goals get to watch a movie or spend an entire day reading. Other classes don't offer rewards at all.

Sunrise Principal Paul Bodnar said the school decided to implement Accelerated Reader last year "to enhance the amount of time they're spending reading."

"AR is just one of the components we're using to help influence reading instruction. It's not a stand-alone panacea for reading," he said.

Teachers at Sunrise, which already enjoys high student test scores, say the program has had an immediate impact. Students are trying harder to meet reading goals and have become more excited about reading, they say.

Drawbacks to program

Not all schools are sold on AR, however, and some educators are quick to point out flaws. Even staff members at successful AR schools note drawbacks to the program and carry some reservations.

One of the biggest complaints is that it's a rewards-based program that some say tricks kids into reading, akin to dangling a carrot before a donkey to get it to pull a cart.

Chuck Finnigan, an elementary-school librarian in the Sedro-Woolley School District, which participates in the program, says points can become a motivator, instead of a love of reading.

"If students are focusing on points, it becomes a matter of, 'What do you have that's AR, or what short books do you have that are a lot of points?,' " he said. Some librarians have complained that students aren't learning how to use a library properly. Rather than locating books by their Dewey or Library of Congress number, students simply look for books by designated AR reading levels or for books their librarian has marked as "AR."

The program's cost is another concern. The program that determines the student's reading level can cost from $499 to $1,499. Kits, which include software and tests, range in price from $499 to $2,999. Though the kits contain 200 to 1,000 book-title quizzes, the schools try to give their students many AR books to choose from, and additional tests cost nearly $3 each, after taxes. In addition, schools are faced with paying for upgraded AR software. At Brigadoon and Sunrise, parent-teacher associations have helped pay for materials. Last year, Brigadoon spent $8,000 on AR; Sunrise spent more than $3,000.

Schools sticking to program

At both schools, however, the principals felt seeing kids excited about reading has been worth the costs. Both schools said they'll continue the program as long as they can afford it.

Other districts, including Everett, Highline, Mukilteo and Monroe, where all or most elementary schools have the program, plan to stay the course.

"In Federal Way public schools, we have placed an added focus on literacy for the past three years," said Superintendent Tom Murphy. "Our staff has scrutinized all the pieces that need to fall into place to help children become readers. A crucial point comes in motivating young and struggling readers. When parents and staff get behind programs like Accelerated Reader, they can be an important tool for helping kids see themselves as readers."

At Brigadoon, the school now seemingly eats, sleeps and breathes reading. While staff stands firmly behind the program, perhaps the best message of encouragement comes from a sign featuring Spunky McPaws, which suggests, "People who can read should."