The impact of Title I program funding through a comparison of schoolwide assistance and targeted assistance on fifth grade reading achievement scores in Illinois: Implications for leadership in public education

The ability to read with proficiency and comprehension is one of the basic goals of our educational system. Adequacy of funding these goals, particularly for lower income students, continues to be a challenge. Despite the efforts of a variety of educational reforms many students, particularly the economically disadvantaged, continue to struggle with basic reading skills.;The intent of this study is to help school leaders in identifying whether schoolwide or targeted assistance programs funded through Title I schools are associated with higher reading achievement. The study measured reading achievement for fifth grade students in Illinois using data from the Illinois Scholastic Achievement Test from 2006 to 2007 and compared the results of selected schools in the 40% to 90% low income range with populations of 200 to 1,00 students in Northern Cook County and Lake County, Illinois. Schools used for this study were split between those using schoolwide assistance and those using targeted assistance.;The study provides information that indicates the impact of Title I funding on reading achievement by comparing the use of schoolwide and targeted assistance. The outcome of this study is important to school leaders in determining the general direction to take with school programs when receiving federal funding through Title I.