Read 180 Professional Staff and Students Finish Another Successful Summer

15 students from all elementary schools completed a voluntary summer enrichment course in reading on Thursday morning at Hoboken High School's Computer Lab. The students were also treated to a celebratory breakfast (no expense to the district) and received certificates of completion for their work this summer. 

The students were part of a pilot reading class utilizing state of the art technology and instructional materials call READ 180. READ 180 is an intensive reading intervention program that helps educators confront the issue of reading on multiple fronts, using technology, print, and professional development. READ 180 is proven to meet the needs of readers whose reading achievement is below proficient level. The program directly addresses individual needs through differentiated instruction, adaptive and instructional software, high-interest literature, and direct instruction in reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. 

READ 180 was first brought to the district by Ms. Jennifer Lopez (NCLB Coordinator) and Dr. Petrosino in early 2008 and has operated as both an after school program as well as a voluntary summer school program. To be clear, READ 180 was not designed to be the primary reading program in any school setting but it rather, supplemental. For 2009-2010 there is a planned expansion into some high school grades as well as more fully incorporated into some of our elementary schools. READ 180 along with the SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory) has enabled the Hoboken School District to better leverage technology, assessment and learning theory into day to day practice. READ 180 follows the Six Components of Success to a solid reading intervention program: 

SIX COMPONENTS OF SUCCESS

To truly succeed, a systematic program of reading intervention must incorporate six crucial elements.

1. Scientific Research Base

The scientific development of READ 180 began in 1985 when Dr. Ted Hasselbring of Vanderbilt University developed breakthrough software that used student performance data to individualize, adjust, and differentiate the path of reading instruction. Research continued through the 1990s as it was put to the test in Florida's Orange County public school system.

2. Proven Results
READ 180 is proven to work. Students who enter the program unable to read proficiently experience success and become readers. After ten years of research in association with Vanderbilt University and over six years in schools, READ 180 has brought significant gains in reading proficiency for the students who need it most.

3. Comprehensive Instruction
READ 180 includes a Teaching System that equips - and trains - educators to deliver effective reading, writing, and vocabulary instruction to struggling readers. Teachers receive a rich and engaging curriculum of skills instruction, point-of-use professional development, a variety of assessment tools, and reports that link to resources for differentiating instruction. The Teaching System makes it easy for teachers to cover essential skills while meeting individual needs.

4. Purposeful Assessment
Only READ 180 gives you the power to track and analyze student performance at every step. A variety of instruments accurately assess students to identify their most urgent needs, enabling the program and teachers to adjust instruction accordingly.

5. Data-Driven Instruction
READ 180 is the only program of its kind that uses assessment data so effectively to differentiate instruction. The READ 180 Software continually adjusts the level of instruction based on student performance. Actionable reports and periodic checkpoints alert teachers to students' needs and direct them to resources for individualizing instruction.

6. Professional Development
Scholastic has designed a comprehensive implementation training, an online course, and teaching materials that integrate professional development to provide educators with the background, teaching routines, and instructional support they need, when they need it.

Picture: The READ 180 staff. Standing left to right - Jennifer Lopez, Patricia Poore Tedesco, Raymond Donovan. Seated Louise Willis, Carol Musarra, Gwendolyn Rodriguez