In this article, Ardice Hartry, Robert Fitzgerald, and Kristie Porter present results from their implementation study of a structured reading program for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders in an afterschool setting. As the authors explain, schools and districts often view an extended school day as a promising way to address the literacy needs of their lowest-performing students by devoting more time to reading instruction. While structured reading programs may help teachers use afterschool instructional time more effectively, the degree to which these programs improve student outcomes depends on the effectiveness of their implementation. Focusing on program implementation in one district as part of a randomized controlled trial, the authors find that successfully implementing a structured reading program in an afterschool setting depends on thoughtful preparation, suitable resources, and ongoing attention.

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Ardice Hartry is a senior research associate with MPR Associates, a public policy research and evaluation firm specializing in education. Her K–12 educational research work focuses on the evaluation of public policy and educational reform programs, with a particular focus on at-risk populations. Her previous research has included evaluations of comprehensive high school reform programs, district-level reform initiatives, and a civics education curriculum. Before joining MPR Associates, she was the director of research and evaluation for a large urban school district.

Robert Fitzgerald is a senior research associate with MPR Associates. In addition to his work on the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory project, he was principal data analyst for a study of an afterschool literacy intervention. He has conducted analyses for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing as part of their effort to revise single- and multiple-subject credentials. Fitzgerald has also contributed to a variety of studies of postsecondary education, including an assessment of the effect of postsecondary institutional quality on student earnings, as well as analyses of longitudinal student data for the National Assessment of Vocational Education.

Kristie Porter is a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studies public health and specializes in survey design and implementation. Porter worked previously as a research associate at MPR Associates, where, among other projects, she analyzed the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students, evaluated a civics education curriculum, and managed data collection for the Broad Prize in Urban Education. Before joining MPR, she conducted health research and evaluation in middle schools as an education analyst at RTI International.