Davis reading program worries parents

A group of nearly a dozen Davis County parents is asking the county school board to rethink a spendy computer-based learning program they say doesn't really work in aiding struggling readers.

The purchase is one of the district's measures, under Gov. Olene Walker's K-3 Reading Improvement Program created by SB230, to have each child reading at or above grade level by the third grade.

Parents say they are concerned about the program because of the lack of independent research showing that it is effective in teaching reading or in remediation. The board is expected to vote on the issue at a meeting Tuesday.

In a letter to the district the group stated that using reading initiative money to purchase the program would constitute a misuse of public funds.

The software program called "SuccessMaker" is a computer-based integrated learning system (ILS) featuring reading, math and science.

Parents say it has shown some improvement in students relative to the child's ability but does little or nothing when it comes to remediation.

"It's not a good program to close the (reading) gap . . . and there is no indication it will close the gap," said Polly Tribe, a Davis parent. "We feel that the K-3 reading money should be spent to benefit the readers that are struggling in K-3, it should not be spent to buy an ILS system that doesn't increase reading proficiency."

But Assistant Superintendent Sandy Petersen said the program is not aimed at closing the gap. It's a small strand of the entire reading program, and it isn't intended to boost reading — it is intended to identify those who struggle.

"The beauty of the program is that it will pinpoint specific deficits," said Petersen. "It will not work for every child, and it was never intended to work for every child."

Petersen said Davis is already far ahead in its reading program and is now working on additional pieces to enrich what is already in place. Different strategies work for different students, and this is just another one of those.

Another big concern to parents in opposition of the program is its cost. The ILS system rings out around $2.7 million over five years.

But Petersen said the district's reading money will only fund the reading portion of the program while the rest will come from federal funds.