DOCUMENT RESUME ED 195 951 CS 005 763 TITLE An Evaluation of the Rightto Read Inexpensive Book Distribution Program. FinalReport. INSTITUTION General Research Corp.,McLean, Va. SPONS AGENCY Department of Education,Washington, D.C. PUB DATE Oct 80 CONTRACT 300-78-0400 NOTE 384p.: For related documentsee CS -005 7b2. EDRS PRICE M501/PC16 Plus Postage. CESCRIPTOPS Elementary Secondary Education:*Literature Appreciation: *Program'Effectiveness:*Program Evaluation: Reading Habits:*Read4Eng Interests: Reading Programs: 'RecreationalReading: *Student Motivation IDENTIFIERS *Reading Is Fundamental ABSTRACT This report providesdetails of a study of the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program (IBDP) , sponsored program operated a federally funded and by Reading is Fundamental(RIF). The specific objectives ofthe described studywere to determine the effectiveness of the IBDP ingenerating student reading and to describe motivation, the,process by which booksare acquired and distributed to children.'Sectionsof the report provide the information: following (1) methodology. and procedunesqorconducting the study, (2)a description of RIF nationalmanagement,(3) case studies of six unique IBDPs,(4) descriptions of the38 data collection sites, examination (5) alternative book distributionprograms, and (6) summaries of findings,observations, and recommendations. provide a list of-advisory Appendixes panel members and samplesof the survey questionnaires. (RL) ******************************g-**************#************************* * Reproductions supplied by EDRSare the best that can be made from the original document. *****************************************************************A***** U S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HASBEEN REPRO. DUCED EXACTLY ASRECEIVED FROM Report 1067-03-80-CR THE PERSON ORORGANIZATION ORIGIN- ATING IT POINTS OFVIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL REPRE INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION ORPOLICY ( An Evaluationof the Rightto Read Inexpensive BookDistribution Program FINAL REPORT October 1980 MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSDIVISION GENERAL RESEARCH CORPORATION A SUBSIDIARY OF FLOWGENERAL INC. 7655 Old Springhouse Road,McLean, Virginia 22102 Submitted To: Mr. James Gannon Department of Education (EU) 400 Maryland Ave, S.W. ROB No. 3, m 5715 Washington, D.C. 0202 Contract No. 300 -78 -000 CONTENTS SECTION PAGE 1 INTRODUCTION 1-1 Background 1-1 Study Objectives and Scope of Work 1-3 2 METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURES 2-1 Study Design 2-1 Instrumentation 2-7 Sampling Plan 2-9 Data Analysis 2-19 Problems 2-21 3 RIF NATIONAL MANAGEMENT 3-1 Methodology and Approach 3-2 Mission and Objectives 3-3 Organization Structure 3-6 Information System 3-15 Issues and Commentary 3-25 4 CASE STUDIES OF SIXUNIQUE RIF IBDPS 4-1 Introduction 4-1 Wind River Indian Reservation 4-3 Hartford RIF/School Volunteer Program 4-13 Tucson Public Library 4-17 Dallas Independent School District 4-25 Texas Migrant Council, EaglePass Head Start Center 4-31 Rikers Island 4-37 5 SUMMARY OF RIF IBDP PROGRAM CHARACTERISTICS 5-1 Student Demographics 5-1 Subcontractor Administrationand Operation Characteristics 5-1 Site No. 1 5-19 Site No. 2 5-23 iii CONTENTS (Cont.) SECTION PAGE Site No.3 5-26 Site No.4 5-29 Site No.5 5-32 Site No.6 5-36 Site No. 7 5-40 Site No.8 5-43 Site No.9 5-46 Site No.10 5-4:; Site No. ].1 5-52 Site No.12 5-56 Site No.13 5-59 Site No.14 5-62 Site No.15 5-65 Site No.16 5-68 Site No.17 5-71 Site No.18 5-74 Site No.19 5-79 Site No.20 5-82 Site No.21 5-85 Site No.22 5-89 Site No.23 5-92 Site No.24 5-96 Site No.25 5-100 Site No.26 5-104 Site No.27 5-107 Site No.28 5-110 Site No.29 5-113 Site No.30 5-115 Site No.31 5-118 Site No.32 5-122 Site No.33 5-125 iv CONTENTS (Cont.) SECTION PAGE Site No. 34 5-128 Site No. 35 5-130 Site No. 36 5-134 Site No. 37 5-137 Site No. 38 5-141 6 ALTERNATIVE BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS 6-1 Introduction 6-1 Scholastic Book Clubs 6-3 Classroom Choices 6-11 Home Assisted Reading Program (H.A.R.P.) 6-15 Summer Super Scoop 6-21 Xerox Education Publications 6-29 Evin Foley's Gift Book Program 6-33 Country Caravan Books 6-37 ANALYSIS OF SURVEY RESPONSES 7-1 8 SUMMARY OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 8-1 RIF National Management 8-1 Technical Assistance Needsof RIF IBDP Subcontractors 8-3 APPENDIXES A ADVISORY PANEL MEMBERS A-1 B SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES B-1 tJ FIGURES NO. PAGE 3.1 Organization Structurefor RIF IBDP 3-8 3.2 RIF IBDP Process: Overview 3-16 3.3 Subsystem: Market Outreach 3-17 3.4 Application Processing(Initial and Renewals) 3-19 6.1 Scholastic Book Order Blank 6-5 6.2 Join the ScoopGroup Application Form 6-25 6.3 Earn a Triple ScoopT-Shirt Announcement 6-26 TABLES NO. PAGE 2.1 ants for the IBDP Study 2-8 2.2 Summary of RIF IBDP Projects by Project Type 2-11 2.3 Distribution of School-BasedProjects by Region and Project Size 2-12 2.4 Distribution of ChildrenServed by Region and Project Size 2-13 2.5 Distribution of Project Sample by Region 2-13 5.1 Student Demographic Survey by Grade for all Sites 5-2 5.2 SES by RIF and Non-RIF 5-3 5.3 SES by Race 5-3 5.4 SES by Reading Level 5-3 5.5 IBDP Sponsors 5-4 5.6 IBDP Coordinators 5-6 5.7 Assistance From RIF National 5-8 5.8 Sources of Funding 5-10 5.9 Per Pupil Expe-nditirre' 5-11 5.10 Members of Book Selection Committees 5-12 5.11 Distribution Activities 5-13 5.12 Parent and VolunteerActivities .5-15 7.1 Question 9 - Do You Read Because It's Fun or OnlyBecause You Have To? 7-3- 7.2 Question 12 - Do You Think You Are a Good Reader? 7-3 7.3 Question 13 - Do Other People Think You Are a Good Reader? 7-4 7.4 Question 11 - Do You Like School? 7-5 7.5 Question 23 - I Like School 7-6 vii TABLES (Cont.) NO. PAGE 7.6 Question 1 Reading Is Fun 7-6 7.7 Question 18- I Think I Am a Good Reader 7-7 7.8 Question 4 -I Think I Can Havea Better Job When I Grow Up If I Am a Good Reader 7-7 7.9 Question 5 When I Make Something,I'd' Rather Ask Some- body How To Make It Than Read How To Do It 7-8 Question 6 -I Like To Read ToFind Out How To Do Things orMake Things 7-8 7.10 Question 1-Would You Rather Read or Play Games? 7-9 7.11 Question 4-Would You Rather Drawa Picture or Read a Story? 7-10 7.12 Question 6 -Would You Rather Geta. Book or a Game as a Present? 7-10 7.13 Question 2 -Would You Rather Watcha Story On TV or Read a Story In a Book? 7-11 7.14 Question 8-My Friends Like To Read 7-12 7.15 Question 19 - Others Think I Am a Good Reader 7-13 7.16 Question 31 - If You Had the Chance, WouldYou Want To Get More Books? 7-15 7.17 Question 17- I Like To Get Books as Gifts 7-15 7.18 Question 5 - Do You Like To ReadAlmost Everyday or. Just Once in a While? 7-15 7.19 Question 10- How Often Do You Read at Home? 7-16 7.20 Question 3- Do You Take Library Books Home? 7-17 7.21 Question 7 -When You Have a book,Do You Look at the Pictures and Read theStory, or Only Look at the Pictures? 7-17 7.22 Question 8 - When You Read Do You Pretend YouAre One of the People in the Story? 7-18 viii TABLES (Cont.) NO. PAGE 7.23 Question 2- I Only Read When I Have To Read 7-19 7.24 Question 7- I Almost Never Read Library Books 7-19 7.25 Question 11- I Bead a Library Book Every Week 7-19 7.26A Question 26 - How Often Outside of Schoolon a Usual School Day Do You Read School Books? 7-21 7.26B Question 26 - How Often Outside of Schoolon a Usual School Day Do You Read Pleasure Books? 7-21 7.26C Question 26 - How Often Outside of Schoolon a Usual School Day Do You Read Information Books? 7-21 7.26D Question 26 - How Uften Outside of Schoolon a Usual School Day Do You Ready Newspapers? 7-21 7.26E Question 26 - How Often Outside of Schoolon a Usual School Day Do You Read Magazines? 7-22 7.27 Student Reports and Parent Perceptions ofStudents' Reading (%) 7-24 7.28 Student Reports andParent Reports of Students' Reading (%) Preferred 7-26 7.29 What Kind of ReaderDo You Think Your Child Is? 7-27 7.30 Whether You Enjoy Reading or Note HowImportant Is Reading in YourDaily Life and Work? 7-28 7.31 Have You Heard ofthe Reading Is Fundamental Program? (RIF) 7-29 7.32 How Many Books DoesYour Child Own? 7-30 ix SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND This document reports the results of a studyof the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program(IBDP). The IBDP is a Federallyft'nded and sponsored program operated by Reading is Fvndamental,Inc. (RIF). A brief introduction to RIF and the IBL? isprovided in the following paragraphs. RIF began in 1966 as an experiment in Washington,D.C., to determine whether providingbooks to children would increase their , motivation to read.