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Reading is one of the most basic skills that is taught in schools today. Being a proficient reader is paramount in today’s world if one is to truly become successful. Students must be able to read and comprehend the text that they encounter on a daily basis. Because reading is essential in our society, the Alabama State Department of Education has included student scores from its yearly reading assessment, the Alabama Reading and Mathematics Test (ARMT): Reading subtest, in their formula to measure the adequate yearly progress (AYP) of schools throughout the state as mandated by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.
The study that guided this research was centered around a comparison of scores on the ARMT Reading subtest of seventh grade students who received instruction via the Prentice Hall Timeless Themes - Timeless Voices textbook in 2007-2008 and those who received instruction via the Prentice Hall Penguin Series textbook in 2008-2009. The scores were used to determine if there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups due to the recent change in the textbook utilized for the seventh grade reading program. The study was conducted to determine whether the change in textbook was one of the contributing factors that lead to the SUS not making AYP for the 2009- 2010 school year.
The study utilized a causal-comparative design, and the data are expost-facto. The data were analyzed using a t-test for independent sample means. The .05 level of significance was accepted. The research showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the two textbook programs. The results of the study suggest that the two textbook programs were equally effective in preparing students for the state reading assessment.