Program Description
The Scholastic RISE and RISE Up program is a Tier 2 intervention program designed for students in grades 1-5. It provides targeted small-group instruction to address and prevent reading gaps using explicit, structured comprehension, word study, phonics instruction, and guided writing for 45-60 minutes per day. Scholastic RISE is leveled C-N and targets comprehension, word-solving, fluency, and writing. In RISE, groups of four students rotate through four instruction stations for 45-60 minutes per day for six to eight weeks. RISE Up is leveled O-Z and is focused on advancing student comprehension. In RISE Up, groups of four students rotate through three instructional stations focused on comprehension strategies on a short text for 45 minutes a day for six to eight weeks. Scholastic RISE and RISE Up offer a kit with teacher resources, books, short reads, and digital access for teachers and students.
Program Outcomes
Scholastic RISE and RISE Up was evaluated during the 2022-2023 school year in a matched study with students in grades 1-5 in a Florida district serving a population in which 36% were Hispanic/Latino, 28% were Black or African American and nearly half (47%) of students qualified for free lunch. Across the grades, there were 168 students in the treatment group and 252 students matched on baseline characteristics in the control group. All students were pre and post tested using Renaissance Star Early Learning (Grades K-2) and Cambium F.A.S.T. (Grades 3-10). Additionally, a subgroup of eight treatment schools and all of the comparison schools used FastBridge to monitor student progress between January and May 2023.
When comparing RISE students to similar students who did not have RISE at their schools, both groups made similar progress on Star and FAST for grades 1-3, and 3-5 combined (effect size = +0.02). While results on the FastBridge only included a subsample of RISE and RISE Up students, they did significantly outperform students in the control group on Words Read Correctly Per Minute (WRCPM) (effect size = +0.40), earning the intervention a Promising ESSA rating. Across grades and measures, the average impact showed an effect size = +0.09.
Staffing Requirements
Teacher(s) or interventionists
Professional Development/Training
RISE coaches provided guidance for the district to modify the program for use during a 30-minute a day timeframe, with one instructor, to meet the district’s intervention model.
Technology
No technology required for implementation. An online portal is included in the program for teachers and students.
Implementation Notes
In the Florida-based study (Schechter et al., 2024), surveyed teachers and interventionists who implemented RISE and RISE UP gave mostly favorable responses, commending the quality of materials and their effect on student engagement. For example, over 90% of the teachers (a) felt comfortable or very comfortable in implementing the program and (b) found that it supplemented the core reading program well or very well. Positive ratings were particularly notable for the books, passages, text-based questions, and the completeness of the program. Interviewed principals expressed positive perceptions of the overall program, teacher preparation and student engagement.