This study analyzed the correlation between students' third grade reading ability and sixth grade reading ability. The data were collected from an urban school district, and the participants were students whose records contained information from their third grade school year and their sixth grade school year. The Utah English Language Arts Criterion-Referenced Tests (ELA-CRT) administered in third and sixth grade were used to determine reading ability. Additional demographic data, including race, gender, special education identification, free/reduced lunch, and English Language Learner (ELL), was assessed and controlled for in the data analysis and provided important information concerning the overall findings. Analysis revealed that third grade reading scores had a strong predictive value on sixth grade reading scores. Certain demographic variables carried statistically significant correlations with sixth grade reading performance including race, special education identification, free/reduced lunch, and ELL identification. However, when analyzed together and considering the statistical weight each other, only third grade reading performance, free/reduced lunch, and ELL identification held significant correlations.
College and Department
David O. McKay School of Education; Counseling Psychology and Special Education
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Gallacher, Michael Sean, "Predicting Sixth Grade Performance on Criterion-Referenced Reading Tests with Third Grade Test Scores" (2008). All Theses and Dissertations. 1470.
reading test scores, Utah criterion-referenced tests, No Child Left Behind Act, third grade reading performance, sixth grade reading performance