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This study reports the results of a quasi-experimental investigation of the effects of the School Renaissance program on student achievement in Grades 3 to 8 in a suburban Texas school district. Each of 11 School Renaissance schools (9 elementary schools and 2 middle schools) was matched to a comparisrn school (n = 11) on the basis of school performance, poverty, and ethnic composition. Repeated-measures analyses were performed to estimate program effects on reading and mathematics achievement. The impact of implementation fidelity on student achievement also was examined. The SR program was associated with statistically significant, positive effects on reading and mathematics achievement for elementary students, and on mathematics achievement for middle school students. Students attending high-intensity School Renaissance implementation schools scored significantly higher than did students attending comparison schools or low-intensity sites.
The School Renaissancereg; program, particularly the Accelerated Reader® and Reading Renaissance® components, is one of the most widely implemented school reform programs in the United States. In 2004, components of School Renaissance (SR) were being implemented in more than 65,000 schools in the United States (National Clearinghouse on Comprehensive School Reform [NCCSR], 2004). The development of SR has evolved over the past two decades from several programs created by Terry and Judy Paul, the founders of Renaissance Learning, Inc. The earliest and most widely used component of SR is Accelerated Reader (AR), designed to increase students' motivation and ability to read. The broader philosophy of Reading Renaissance (RR) was first introduced to educators through professional development seminars in 1992. Accelerated Math® (AM) software and Math Renaissance® (MR) were introduced in 1998, and Accelerated Writer® and Writing Renaissance® were initiated in 2002.
Although Accelerated Reader (AR) is viewed primarily as a supplementary reading program, implementation of AR in conjunction with Reading Renaissance (RR), Accelerated Math, and Math Renaissance meets the criteria for designation as a Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) model (Desimone, 2002; NCCSR, 2004). This designation permits schools to apply for Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) grants totaling as much as $225,000 over three years to implement the model. Actual costs of implementation, which vary depending on school size and components implemented, range from $30,000 to $75,000 per school per year (NCCSR). As of January 2004, 250 schools had received CSR grants to...