Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 2005

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Lee A. Plourde

Second Committee Member

Steven A. Schmitz

Third Committee Member

Osman Alawiye

Abstract

Inadequate pe1formance of Washington State's public school students on national exams motivated the state legislature to pass the Basic Education Act in 1993. Graduation requirements were changed and expectations increased to specific skill levels in reading, writing, and several other subjects. The problem is that48% of North Central High School IO'" graders have averaged below standard in reading and 56% have averaged below standard in writing for the last six years. The project is designed to increase reading and writing skills at the high school level in classes outside of the academic arena by direct instruction. Washington State's Commission on Student Learning wrote underlying Learning Goals, course specific Essential Academic Learning Requirements, strands, learning targets, components and Grade Level Expectations as part of school reform. The curriculum project brings informational and task-oriented reading selections into an EALR format. A variety of individual reading and writing strategies are delineated.

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