95 Phonics Core Program™ 2022-2023, Grades K-1, AZ Efficacy Study

Schechter, Rachel L.; Lynch, Alicia D.; Ilievski, Isabella

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LXD Research analyzed data from 405 students from kindergarten through first grade who either participated in using the 95 Phonics Core Program (95PCP) or served as comparison students in a school district in AZ during the school year 2022-2023. This product adds explicit and systematic phonics instruction to the daily reading block. The demographic breakdown of this sample includes 27% Indigenous students, 40% Hispanic students, 46% Low Income, 13% Special Education students, and 12% Limited English Proficient students. Two schools volunteered to use 95PCP as their core reading curriculum and used it for about 30 minutes a day. Three comparison schools with similar demographics and literacy scores created a matched sample and used National Geographic (NatGeo) as their core reading program. 

The Aimsweb Plus Reading Early Literacy Assessment was conducted at the beginning, middle, and end of year 2023 to understand the programs' impact on reading. Students using 95PCP showed significantly more reading growth on the Aimsweb assessment compared to the comparison group. Kindergarten students using 95PCP scored 17 more points than the comparison group on their early literacy scores at the end of the year and first grade students scored 8 more points than the comparison group at the end of the year. Notably, the impact of 95PCP led to an additional 22% of kindergartners and 8% of first graders to being on track, considered "Low Risk" on Aimsweb, in the Spring 2023. The findings and rigorous study design support the 95 Phonics Core Program as a comprehensive program that meets the criteria for ESSA Level 2.