Dates: Fall 2024–present

Principal Investigator: Leah Zimmermann

Description: Many states, including Iowa, require educators to develop individualized reading plans for students with reading difficulties (Neuman et al., 2023). To support these students at home and at school, there is a need to build caregiver knowledge of reading plans and related assessment data. To that end, the IRRC has launched the Caregiver Data Literacy project. 

• The research arm of this project involves a systematic review of recent legislation on individualized reading plans to address questions such as: (1) Who qualifies for individualized reading plans? (2) What components of reading are involved? and (3) How do these plans compare to individual education programs (IEPs)?
• For dissemination, this project will create learning materials and tools that can facilitate communication about student reading assessment data. For teachers, this includes the creation of the Educator Letter Builder, which allows educators to generate a customized letter to a student’s family to provide information, context, and further resources about a student’s assessment data. For caregivers, this project involves the creation of the Understanding Your Student’s Literacy Data eLearning module, which provides caregivers with the knowledge needed to understand and interpret their child’s assessment data. This module also includes the Caregiver Literacy Data Discussion Tool, a flexible template to help caregivers prepare for meetings with their child’s instructors.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will develop professional development for teachers that builds on the eLearning content and findings of the systematic review.

Related Materials:

• Understanding Your Student’s Literacy Data
• Caregiver Literacy Data Discussion Tool
• Educator Letter Builder
• Caregiver Data Literacy Presentation (coming soon)
• Research Brief (coming soon)

Dates: Fall 2024–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Shawn Datchuk 

Description: Measure FIRST (Fidelity of Implementation and Reading Skills of Teachers) aims to support Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) teams engaged in data-based decision-making by providing tools and guidance for measuring fidelity of instruction or intervention. 

• The research arm of this project involves a systematic review of research on fidelity monitoring in K–12 classroom settings, addressing questions such as: (1) Who has created fidelity rubrics and monitored fidelity (researchers, school personnel)?  (2) What dimensions of behavior have been measured?  (3) How is fidelity measured (dichotomous yes/no, count, frequency, duration?)? (4) Where has fidelity been measured (core instruction, Tier 2 intervention, Tier 3 intervention)? This project also will include a survey of teacher knowledge and skill pertaining to fidelity and fidelity monitoring.
• For dissemination, the IRRC will develop a new eLearning module to provide MTSS staff with the knowledge and skills needed to create fidelity checklists, monitor fidelity in classrooms, and use fidelity data to inform instructional decisions. The project team will create a MOTR application that will allow classroom observers to track the frequency, pace, and modality of opportunities to respond (OTRs) provided by teachers during instruction. The project team also will create a Measure FIRST application, which will allow MTSS staff to create custom fidelity checklists to monitor instruction across MTSS tiers.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will develop professional development for teachers that builds on the eLearning content and findings of the systematic review.

Related Materials:

• MOTR Application
• Measure FIRST eLearning Module
• Measure FIRST Application
• Measure FIRST Presentation (coming soon)
• Research Brief (coming soon)

Dates: Fall 2024–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Shawn Datchuk

Description: In mid-2024, the Iowa Reading Research Center launched the Literacy LIFTER (Letter Identification and Formation for Transcription and Early Reading), a free tool and eLearning module designed help educators and caregivers support students’ handwriting and early reading skills. Cursive LIFTER, or CLIFTER, extends LIFTER to include cursive handwriting instructional materials.  

• From the research side, this project involves a systematic review of research on teaching cursive, addressing questions such as: (1) How have researchers measured cursive handwriting? (2) What instructional techniques have researchers used to teach cursive handwriting, and (3) What are effects of cursive handwriting on academic outcomes for students with and without disabilities?
• On the dissemination side, the project team will expand the LIFTER eLearning module to include two new lessons that unpack research related to cursive handwriting and walk through ways to teach cursive using CLIFTER. The research team will also create a new CLIFTER tool that will include evidence-based materials for teaching cursive handwriting and letter knowledge. These materials will include video models of letter formation and pronunciation and downloadable student worksheets.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will develop professional development for teachers that builds on the eLearning content and findings of the systematic review.

Related Materials:

• CLIFTER eLearning Module
• CLIFTER Tool
• CLIFTER PD Toolkit
• CLIFTER Poster Presentation
• Research Brief (coming soon)

Dates: Fall 2025–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Keller Young and Seth King 

Description: Year 2 of Measure FIRST aims to expand the IRRC’s fidelity monitoring training and resources in order to help educators develop useful fidelity protocols and implement structured literacy and explicit instruction practices with fidelity.

• The research arm of this project involves collecting data on the effects of curricula used by local education agencies. The research team will also conduct a survey on fidelity of implementation practices of local education agencies.
• For dissemination, the IRRC will develop eLearning content and observation forms for implementing structured literacy and explicit instruction practices with fidelity. Training materials will include slide decks, facilitators’ guides, blog posts, and videos of teachers implementing structured literacy and explicit instruction practices.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will offer professional learning—including webinars, virtual office hours, and in-person presentations—on creating fidelity protocols and implementing structured literacy and explicit instruction practices. 

Related Materials:

• New Lessons in Measure FIRST eLearning Module: Structured Literacy and Explicit Instruction (Winter 2026)
• Measure FIRST PD Toolkit (Winter 2026)
• Structured Literacy and Explicit Instruction Observation Forms (Winter 2026)
• Research Brief (Summer 2026)

Dates: Summer 2025–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Keller Young

Description: Project CHRIS (Complementary Handwriting, Reading, and Instruction in Spelling) builds on the IRRC’s existing research and previously published resources related to handwriting.  

• From the research side, this project will collect data on the effects of LIFTER and CLIFTER and make adjustments to curricula based on results.
• On the dissemination side, the project team will publish a paper-based, bound version of LIFTER and CLIFTER handwriting curricula. Additionally, project CHRIS will expand on existing IRRC handwriting curricula by incorporating spelling activities and handwriting assessments. Training materials will include eLearning modules, slide decks, facilitators’ guides, blog posts, and videos of teachers implementing handwriting instruction and assessments.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will create professional learning—including webinars, virtual office hours, and in-person presentations—on how to administer, score, and interpret handwriting assessments to inform instructional decisions.

Related Materials:

• CHRIS eLearning Module (Fall 2025)
• Spelling Materials (Fall 2025)
• Handwriting Assessments (Fall 2025)
• CHRIS PD Toolkit (Fall 2025)
• Research Brief (Summer 2026)

Dates: Summer 2025–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Leah Zimmermann

Description: This project aims to further investigate the relation between morphological ability and reading outcomes in order to develop effective morphology instructional approaches and build secondary teacher capacity to deliver morphology instruction.

• From the research side, this project will examine the relations between morphological ability and reading outcomes (e.g., decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) of secondary students through a meta-analysis.
• On the dissemination side, the project team will develop an eLearning module on evidence-based strategies for improving adolescent literacy across secondary curricular areas. Teachers will also be able to access an online application that segments morphologically complex words into their constituent morphemes. Training materials will include eLearning modules, slide decks, facilitators’ guides, blog posts, and videos of teachers implementing effective morphology instruction.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will lead professional learning—including webinars, virtual office hours, and in-person presentations—on implementing effective morphology instruction in secondary settings. 

Related Materials:

• MIRAGES eLearning Module: Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Adolescent Literacy (Spring 2026)
• MIRAGES Application (Spring 2026)
• MIRAGES PD Toolkit (Spring 2026)
• Research Brief (Spring 2026)

Dates: Summer 2025–present

Principal Investigator/Collaborators: Leah Zimmermann

Description: This project aims to build caregiver knowledge and skills regarding pre-kindergarten student literacy development by identifying caregivers’ understanding of student literacy data and developing products tailored to meet their needs. 

• From the research side, the project team will examine caregivers’ understanding of their child’s literacy data by administering Spanish and Arabic versions of the Caregiver Data Literacy Survey to multilingual caregivers.
• On the dissemination side, the project team will create activities caregivers can do at home with their PK-age children to support their literacy development. These include a booklet of activities to build phonemic awareness and letter-sound knowledge in PK children; letter-sound cards with picture mnemonics and linked pronunciation videos; and a letter-sound game. Training materials will include eLearning modules, slide decks, facilitators’ guides, blog posts, and videos of caregivers implementing literacy activities at home with their children.
• For technical assistance, the IRRC will lead professional learning—including webinars, virtual office hours, and in-person presentations—on ways caregivers can support their children’s early literacy development at home.  

Related Materials:

• SPARKS eLearning Module: Understanding and Building Early Literacy Skills in PK Children (Spring 2026)
• 10 Activities to Spark Early Literacy (Spring 2026)
• Letter-Sound Cards (Spring 2026)
• Letter-Sound Game (Spring 2026)
• SPARKS PD Toolkit (Spring 2026)
• Research Brief (Fall 2026)

Partner

Metropolitan Omaha Education Consortium

Duration

Spring 2019–Spring 2022

Summary

The goal of the project was to provide guidance and technical assistance to help participating metropolitan Omaha school districts improve early literacy proficiency. 

Implementation planning began in the spring of 2019. During the fall of 2019, school district educators completed the eLearning Effective Literacy Instruction module at their own pace. The Iowa Reading Research Center provided additional in-person professional learning to school district literacy leaders, who then supported educators as they implemented what they learned from eLearning. The same format was followed during the spring of 2020 when educators also completed the Small-Group, Skills-Based Instruction module. Implementation was more limited during the 2020–2021 school year as schools dealt with the pandemic. However, they remained committed to the work on early literacy and began planning to resume the project in the 2021-2022 school year.

Partner School Districts

• Council Bluffs Community School District
• Marshalltown Community School District

Duration

Fall 2019–May 2021 

Summary

The goal of the project was to determine which approach to scoring students’ writing best predicts Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) performance. The three approaches studied were:

• district teachers who know the students
• an electronic system
• independent scorers at the Iowa Reading Research Center

The IRRC worked with literacy leaders in both districts to develop rubrics aligned to ISASP that also would include language from the way writing was being taught. Rubrics were specific to grade level and the writing genre required by the prompt (narrative, informational, opinion/argument). Teachers and the IRRC scorers used the rubrics to evaluate the students’ written responses, and those responses were scored by an electronic scoring system. In Marshalltown, the writing prompts administered to the students were developed by the IRRC and reviewed for cultural bias by district personnel. Students responded to three different prompts during the school year—in fall, winter, and spring. The electronic scoring system was freeware capable of assessing over 1,000 indices of textual complexity.

In Council Bluffs, the prompts were generated by a computer-based writing practice program the district was using. Students responded to two different prompts during the school year—December and May. The writing practice program also included an electronic scoring system with criteria similar to those on the rubrics.

Reports

• Evaluation of Student Writing Performance in Grades 1-6 of Marshalltown Community School District
• Evaluation of Student Writing Performance in Grades 7-11 of the Council Bluffs Community School District

Partner School Districts

• Leavenworth Unified School District 453
• Atchison Unified School District 409

Duration

2018–2021 

Summary

The goal of the project was to evaluate the implementation of a birth through Grade 12 literacy initiative. 

As an external evaluator, the Iowa Reading Research Center collected and analyzed data related to four outcomes identified by the consortium:

1. Impact on students’ literacy achievement
2. Impact on teachers’ literacy knowledge and pedagogical practices
3. Community outreach and participation
4. Overall sustainability of the project

The Iowa Reading Research Center also monitored the consortium’s adherence to project goals, tracking the effectiveness of the different elements of the program and providing data-driven guidance through the duration of the program. 

In addition, the Iowa Reading Research Center collaborated with the external evaluators of the seven other Literacy Network of Kansas consortiums to support the overall statewide evaluation of LiNK.

Partner School District

Sioux City Community School District

Duration 

2016–2017, 2017–2018, 2018–2019, 2020–2021 school years

Summary

The goal of the project was to implement small-group, skills-based literacy instruction in its elementary schools. Former Iowa Reading Research Center Director Dr. Deborah K. Reed provided professional learning on small-group, skills-based literacy instruction and a 21-day phase-in model. The Iowa Reading Research Center analyzed student test data to determine the effectiveness of the small-group, skills-based literacy instruction delivered by teachers.

Reports

• Evaluation of the Council Bluffs Community School District’s 2021 Summer Reading Program
• Evaluation of the Council Bluffs Community School District’s 2019 Summer Reading Program
• Evaluation of the Council Bluffs Community School District’s 2018 Summer Reading Program
• Evaluation of the Council Bluffs Community School District’s 2017 Summer Reading Program

Partner Education Agency

Green Hills Area Education Agency 

Duration 

2018–2019 and 2019–2020 school years

Summary

The goal of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Green Hills Area Education Agency’s literacy support services for teachers participating in professional development and follow-up coaching on foundational skills instruction. The Green Hills AEA Literacy Team and Iowa Reading Research Center created a protocol for teacher observations and collection of fidelity of implementation data. The Iowa Reading Research Center analyzed data from classroom observations and student test scores. 

Partner Education Agency

Grant Wood Area Education Agency

Duration 

2017–2019

Summary

The goal of the project was to provide an organizational framework for tiered literacy instruction in middle schools that addressed the focus areas of collaborative data review, reading strategies, and leadership for implementation. Grant Wood Area Education Agency also wanted an approach that could be differentiated and applied to a variety of middle school structures and needs. Former Iowa Reading Research Center Director Dr. Deborah K. Reed provided professional learning support and general consultation.

Partners

Iowa Department of Education

Duration

2018–2019

Summary

The Early Literacy Blueprint (Blueprint) was part of a larger early literacy initiative of the Iowa Department of Education that focused on making sure all students were reading at grade level by the end of third grade. The Blueprint focused on improving the overall design and delivery of the literacy instruction that elementary students receive by (a) delivering professional development for teachers and (b) creating a High-Priority Milestones for K-3 Reading Development document to provide guidance for educators and caregivers. 

The High-Priority Milestones for K-3 Reading Development document provides a starting point for evaluating literacy plans to make sure students are progressing on schedule. The milestones explain which literacy skills students need to master by the end of each grade. Where applicable, the relevant Iowa Core standards associated with the high-priority skills are indicated. The document also provides overall recommendations in the areas of keeping students motivated and engaged in their literacy learning and maintaining a supportive and data-driven literacy environment. General recommendations for supporting English learners and bilingual students also are included.

Report

High-Priority Milestones for K-3 Literacy Development

Partners

Schools in Council Bluffs, Clarke, Clarinda, Davenport, Missouri Valley, Atlantic, Sidney, Glenwood, and Wapello Community School Districts, Shelby County Catholic School, and Diocese of Des Moines Catholic Schools

Duration 

2018

Summary

The Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) conducted a study of fluency instruction in fourth-grade classes at 21 elementary schools across Iowa. Students in the participating classes were randomly assigned to one of two conditions:

• Repeated Reading: Students read one passage three times in succession.
• Varied Practice Reading: Students read three different passages one time each. The passages used similar words.

Results showed the Varied Practice Reading group statistically significantly outperformed the Repeated Reading group. In fact, Varied Practice Reading achieved slightly more than an extra week’s worth of improvement in reading fluency over Repeated Reading.

Report

An Investigation of Two Approaches to Fluency Instruction in the General Education Classroom: Repeated Reading Versus Varied Practice Reading

Duration 

2018

Summary

The November 2018 survey of Iowa elementary schools found that:

• The majority (65%) of schools responding to the survey indicated they are offering more than 90 minutes of daily core literacy instruction, and 46% to 53% reported offering more than 30 minutes of intervention each day.
• Approximately 64% of respondents indicated there is a high degree of consistency in the literacy instruction delivered by teachers across their buildings.
• Most commonly, respondents reported teachers meet with their colleagues weekly (37%) or monthly (25%) to discuss students’ literacy data and participate in 4–5 days (27%) or 2–3 days (24%) of literacy professional development.
• Approximately 65% of schools reported offering their students summer learning opportunities, with 30% of such programs supported by community partners and 95% intended for students not reading proficiently.

Report

Early Literacy Survey of Iowa Elementary Schools: Statewide Results

Partner School District

Sioux City Community School District

Duration 

2016–2017 and 2017–2018 school years

Summary

The goal of the project was to implement small-group, skills-based literacy instruction in its elementary schools. Former Iowa Reading Research Center Director Dr. Deborah K. Reed provided professional learning on small-group, skills-based literacy instruction and a 21-day phase-in model. The Iowa Reading Research Center analyzed student test data to determine the effectiveness of the small-group, skills-based literacy instruction delivered by teachers.

Report

Evaluation of the Sioux City Community School District’s Implementation of Small-Group, Skills-Based Literacy Instruction

Partners

Ames Community School District

Duration 

2017

Summary

The IRRC conducted a review of three instructional programs used in the Word Study Team Foundational Skills Materials Pilot study for the Ames Community School District. Each program was evaluated for how well it aligned with research-based content and instructional approaches for phonological awareness and phonics.

Report

Report of the Kindergarten-Second Grade Phonics Materials Review for the Ames Community School District

Duration 

2016

Summary

This study examined intensive summer reading programs (ISRPs) to investigate various aspects of providing the programs and their effects on the scores of students not reading proficiently at the end of third grade. The IRRC recruited students from different school districts and community programs from across the state. Each class was randomly assigned to be taught by local educators using one of three conditions or reading programs: (a) a specific print-based program, (b) a specific computer-based program, (c) a business-as-usual comparison that could be any type of program, as long as it was not the same as the other two conditions. Study results show all three conditions used were equally effective at preventing a decline of reading skills that can typically occur during the summer months when away from the classroom. On average, however, the ISRPs did not lead to statistically significant growth on tests of students’ reading abilities.

Report

Report of the 2016 Intensive Summer Reading Program (ISRP) Study