Monroe County Schools overall performance on the FCAT was the highest in the state with a grade-point average of 2.75. Idaho Horizon Elementary School Accelerated Reader and Reading Renaissance have had a significant impact on reading improvement at Horizon Elementary School. In addition, library circulation increased more than 15 times following the introduction of Accelerated Reader in 1994 and Reading Renaissance professional development in 1997. The STAR Reading standardized test was administered to students in grades two through six at the beginning of the school year in August 1999 and again in January 2000. During that time, students read and passed Accelerated Reader quizzes on a total of 12,167 books, for an average of 3.5 books per student per week.
Effective teachers are the key to significant long-term improvement in schools.
Renaissance teaching strategies enable teachers to give students the practice time they need, and monitor and guide that practice effectively. With improved reading skills, students will perform better in every subject. Software, such as Accelerated Reader , increases teachers effectiveness by providing valuable information they can use to individualize instruction for every student. By bringing together the four components, Reading Renaissance helps educators improve student performance and ensure that all students meet state and district standards. In addition, Reading Renaissance supports any curriculum or teaching method, and improves accountability at all levels.