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Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Measurement Incorporated of Durham, North Carolina is supporting the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Watson School of Education in its effort to implement a national grant called i3 Reading Recovery: Scaling Up What Works.

Reading Recovery® is a highly effective, targeted approach to school reform focusing on first grade students experiencing difficulty learning to read and write, typically the lowest 20 percent of the class. The program calls for intensive, long-term professional development for teachers, preparing them for interventions with first graders that help them catch up with their peers and close the achievement gap. UNCW received a $56,000 federal Reading Recovery grant Oct. 1, 2011.

Under the leadership of Kenneth Teitelbaum, dean of the Watson School of Education, and Barbara Honchell, education faculty member and director of UNCW's Reading Recovery Program, seven teachers from Perquimans, Pasquotank and Chowan counties in rural northeastern North Carolina will initially participate in the program. The grant supports the cost of training Reading Recovery teachers and thus increases the opportunity for children to participate in one-on-one learning. However, the grant requires private matching funds of $600 per teacher to purchase books and other materials to be used directly by children.

Henry Scherich, president of Measurement Incorporated, has agreed to provide matching funds and related services through the company's tutoring division, Accelerated Achievement at Measurement Incorporated (AA@ MI). Scherich stated that, "Measurement Incorporated is committed to supporting substantive "child centered" education initiatives to improve student performance in our public schools." The initiative is also being supported through gifts from several individual private donors.

Media contacts:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, UNC Wilmington, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu

Calvin J. Dobbins Ed.S., Sr. Project Director, Accelerated Achievement at Measurement Incorporated, 919.683.2413 or Cdobbins@measinc.com