Reading Recovery:
Facts & Figures

Reading Recovery Facts and Figures
(United States 1984-2008)

Reading Recovery begins with the lowest-achieving first graders — those who are having extreme difficulty with early reading and writing. 

National Data Evaluation Center, The Ohio State University

Children Served – Children who received at least one lesson in Reading Recovery
Complete Intervention – Children who had the opportunity for a full series of lessons
Discontinued²– Children who successfully met rigorous criteria to be released from Reading Recovery during the school year or at the time of year-end testing
Percent – Percent of children who successfully completed the full intervention and whose lessons were discontinued

SUCCESS RATE - 1984 TO PRESENT

78% of students who received the full series of lessons reached grade-level expectations.

National Data Evaluation Center, The Ohio State University

READING RECOVERY TEACHERS' OTHER ROLES

Reading Recovery teachers typically work a half-day in Reading Recovery and the other half-day they are assigned to other school roles. In 2007-2008, Reading Recovery teachers served an average of 8.1 students in Reading Recovery and 40.6 students in their other assigned roles for a total average of 48.7 students served per teacher.

*Other roles include special education teacher, staff developer, school administrator, ESL teacher, and other positions.

¹ Cunningham P.M. & Allington, S.R. (1994). Classrooms that work. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. 255.
² Criteria for "discontinuing" student lessons are discussed more completely in Askew, B.J., Fountas, I.C., Lyons, C.A., Pinnell, G.S., & Schmitt, M.C. (1998). Reading Recovery review: Understandings, outcomes, and implications. Columbus, OH: Reading Recovery Council of North America, Inc.