Oregon Reading First Center:
Review of Comprehensive Reading Programs

The following report, the Review of Comprehensive Reading Programs, describes the work of the Oregon Curriculum Review Panel and the Oregon Reading First Center, who had responsibility for conducting a critical review of comprehensive curriculum programs in beginning reading for the first cohort of 32 schools participating in Oregon Reading First.

The report consists of a main report and 12 sections which are structured in the following way.

• The main body of the report describes the procedures used to review the nine comprehensive programs that met the criteria used in Oregon for inclusion as a comprehensive beginning reading program. The main body of the report also summarizes the primary results of the review and the reliability of the procedures used in conducting the review.
• Sections 1-9 of the report contain review summaries for each of the nine programs. These sections are arranged in alphabetical order.
• Section 10 is a summary of all nine programs according to "essential components." Essential components in beginning reading - as defined in the Reading First legislation - are phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
• Section 11 is a summary of all nine programs by grade level. Grade levels are kindergarten, first, second, and third.
• Section 12 contains the agreement and reliability data for the item-by-item ratings and summary scores for each program.

In releasing this report, we emphasize the following:

The purpose of the report IS:

• To provide a thorough and objective analysis of comprehensive programs in beginning reading for Oregon Reading First schools to use in their selection of a school-wide reading program in Grades K-3.

The report IS NOT:

• An approved or recommended reading textbook or program adoption list for Oregon or any other state;
• An endorsement of any specific program;
• An all-inclusive list of comprehensive reading programs in K-3. Only those publishers who submitted materials for review, and only those programs that met the criteria used in Oregon to define a comprehensive beginning reading program, were reviewed.