SRA/McGraw-Hill's Direct Instruction Continues to Top Government Study of Proven Comprehensive School Reform Models

Direct Instruction programs published by SRA/McGraw-Hill once again received one of the highest ratings of 22 comprehensive school reform models studied by American Institutes for Research (AIR).

An independent research non-profit group, AIR's Comprehensive School Reform Quality (CSRQ) Center recently released its updated report, "CSRQ Center Report on Elementary School Comprehensive School Reform Models," which was first produced in November 2005 and funded by the U.S. Department of Education to serve as a consumer's guide.

The study reviewed existing research on the 22 most widely used comprehensive school reform models and rated the programs on the strength of the evidence (e.g., how reliable and credible is it?) and the strength of the reported impact (e.g., does the model raise student achievement a little or a lot?).

For more than one third of the models, the CSRQ Center was able to identify only 10 or fewer relevant studies. In contrast, Direct Instruction had more than 50 studies for review.

Even after the updated report, which included new studies, Direct Instruction was again found to be just one of two rated as "moderately strong." No other program received a higher rating.

To read the report, visit: http://www.csrq.org/CSRQreportselementaryschoolreport.asp

"We're proud of the body of research surrounding Direct Instruction," said Peter Sayeski, president of McGraw-Hill Learning Group, which includes SRA/McGraw-Hill. "But, even more satisfying is knowing the positive impact Direct Instruction has on hundreds of teachers and students across the country every day."

About AIR

Established in 1946, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the American Institutes for Research is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research on important social issues and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity.

About Direct Instruction

Direct Instruction is a scripted teaching method based on more than 30 years of research and pioneered by Siegfried "Zig" Engelmann in the 1960s. Now it is used in classrooms of all types throughout the world, with students ranging from those with learning difficulties to very bright students. Direct Instruction's programs are based on two beliefs: All children can learn regardless of their learning histories, and all teachers can be successful when given effective materials and presentation techniques. These programs have been proven to work even when other programs fail. They provide a structured learning process that helps students learn "how to learn" while they build specific skills in reading, math, spelling, and language arts. Today, more than 1 million students in a third of the country's schools use a Direct Instruction program.

About SRA/McGraw-Hill

SRA/McGraw-Hill is the top provider of specialized research-based educational programs and professional development for the elementary market. Leading programs include Open Court Reading, Direct Instruction, and Real Math. SRA is part of McGraw-Hill Education, a leading global provider of instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 40 languages. Additional information is available at mheducation.com. For more information on SRA/McGraw-Hill's products, call 1-888-SRA-4543 or visit SRAonline.com.

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SOURCE: SRA/McGraw-Hill

CONTACT: Karen Sorrentino Melina Metzger
SRA/McGraw-Hill Paul Werth Associates
(614) 750-7277 (614) 224-8114 Ext. 236
Karen_Sorrentino@mcgraw-hill.com mmetzger@paulwerth.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/
http://sraonline.com/
http://www.csrq.org/CSRQreportselementaryschoolreport.asp