Date of Award
9-22-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Committee Members
Gina Hogue; Paula Greer
Abstract
This quantitative study examined the impact of the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence (R.I.S.E.) Arkansas on reading achievement in grades 3–10 across Arkansas public schools from 2015 to 2023, with particular attention to high-poverty districts in the Delta Region. Using ACT Aspire Summative Assessment data, the study employed independent samples t-tests, paired-samples t-tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and multiple linear regression to analyze trends in student performance, subgroup disparities, and district-level variation. Results indicated incremental statewide gains in reading, with the most significant improvements occurring in early grades. However, schools with 70% or higher National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation showed slower progress and sustained gaps across race/ethnicity, gender, and special education status. Arkansas’s movement from 40th to 33rd in national PK–12 rankings highlight the potential of literacy reform, yet the findings underscore the continued need for equity-focused strategies, enhanced educator support, and systemic interventions to close persistent achievement gaps and sustain progress in underserved communities. These findings suggest that future policy efforts should prioritize differentiated instructional supports, targeted funding, and sustained professional development to ensure literacy gains are equitably realized across all student groups.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Brasfield, Kristy, "How Does R.I.S.E. Arkansas Address the Reading Needs of Students in the Delta Region of Arkansas Public Schools?" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1099.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1099
