STEMMING ThE TIDE OF

INTERGENERATIONALILLITERACY:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Principal Investigator: James E. Barr, Ed.D.

A TEN -YEAR IMPACT STUDY OF

PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME®

STEMMING ThE TIDE OF

INTERGENERATIONAL ILLITERACY: A TEN -YEAR IMPACT STUDY OF PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME®

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYPRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME® (PRIME TIME) was

developed by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanitiesin 1991 to reach those people who are typically underservedor never-served by humanities organizations, and for whichmost programming is predicated on literacy. After nearly fiveyears of field testing, a turn-key family literacy programtargeting at-risk families with 6-10 year old children wasdeveloped and launched statewide in 1995, and thennationally in 1998. Its objective was to intervene andreverse the persistent statewide pattern ofintergenerational illiteracy by transforming the familyinto a learning environment bonded around the act ofreading together. In so doing, it intended to significantlyimpact and improve student learning.

PREEMPTIVE SOLUTION TO A PROBLEMIn short, PRIME TIME was created as a preemptive

approach to addressing the problem ofintergenerational illiteracy before it became anirreversible problem. The program model that emergedpost pilot phase offers flexibility to adapt to local needs andsettings while maintaining three essential components: 1. PRIME TIME programs are led by highly skilled and trained

team members, including university professors (PRIMETIME scholars), master storytellers (PRIME TIMEstorytellers) as well as host agency staff (teachers,librarians, social workers etc.)

2. PRIME TIME programs combine high quality, humanities-rich literature with the Socratic Method to developinterest in reading and boost critical thinking skills in thewhole family.

3. PRIME TIME programs specifically recruit at-risk familiesand eliminate barriers to participation by offeringtransportation, meals and child care for younger siblings. The success of the turn-key model in recruiting and

retaining target populations is evident from thedemographic summary of this study and in the program’s76% retention rate (based on individual participantattendance) and 120% program attendance growth rate(based on total attendance from session 1 to session 6 or 8.)Additionally, mandatory biannual intensive trainingprovides host agencies with proven strategies for identifyingand recruiting at-risk families, including targeting Title Ischools, Head Start and Early Head Start programs, andother social service agencies that have direct contact with

There is statistical evidence, based on theanalyses of the study, that students whoparticipate in the PRIME TIME programduring their early elementary years, firstthrough fourth grades, performed at ahigher level on grade level content areasof LEAP, iLEAP, and GEE.

Louisiana

Florida

GeorgiaAlabama

Mississippi

ArkansasSouth

Carolina

NorthCarolina

VirginiaWest

Virginia

Kentucky

Ohio

Pennsylvania

New York

Maine

Indiana

Michigan

Wisconsin

Illinois

Minnesota

SouthDakota

Montana

Wyoming

Oregon

California

Utah

Texas

Oklahoma

New Mexico

Colorado

Arizona

Nevada

Idaho

NorthDakota

Iowa

Vermont NH

Conn.Mass.

RI

MDDEL

Tennessee

Washington

53513

3517 3

1

38

44

1

1

1

1 17

71

56

1

2

2

52

15

26

6

34

4

2

2

1

1

13

6

1

7

4103

23

1Alaska

Kansas

Nebraska

Missouri

Puerto Rico

U.S. Virgin Islands

Puerto Rico

Participating States 2010 Active Affiliate States

2010 –11 national expansion award recipient states

Hawaii

1

NJ

target populations. To date, PRIME TIME has beenimplemented in all of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and 38 otherstates. Since 1991, PRIME TIME has enrolled almost40,000 at-risk children and their parents/guardians. In2000, PRIME TIME was introduced as an effective familyliteracy and engagement program in Louisiana’s publicschools. In recognition of its quality and impact, morethan 200 of all statewide programs have beenimplemented in public schools or in collaboration withpublic schools.

EFFECTING MEASURABLE RESULTS The purpose of this “impact study” was to determine

quantitatively the effects of PRIME TIME READING FAMILYTIME program on student achievement. Using a longitudinalanalysis, the study shows that participants engaged in thePRIME TIME program perform at a higher level onachievement tests than non participants, and that the levelof achievement is statistically significant on numerous gradelevel variables as well as above the national norm.Furthermore, while PRIME TIME targets students and their

National Expansion1,083 sites nationally,

1991-2010 (projected)

38,905 participants nationally1991-2010 (projected)

families in the early elementary years, firstthrough 4th grades, this study shows thecontinued impact on PRIME TIME participantstudent performance one to eight years post PRIMETIME engagement, and through the Graduate Exit Exam.The analysis is based on the value-added assessment systemimplemented in Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana and other states.

The research question asked “What role does the 6-8week PRIME TIME program targeting 6-to-10 year oldstudents and their parents/guardians have on changingstudents’ achievement on the Louisiana EducationAssessment Program (LEAP) 4th and 8th grade assessments,the integrated Louisiana Education Assessment Program(iLEAP) 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th grade assessments, and the

Graduation Exit Examination (GEE) 10th

through 12th grade summativeassessments?”. LEAP is a Criterion-

Referenced Test (CRT), which meansstudents’ scores are based on

achievement within a state-prescribed level ofcompetency. iLEAP is aNorm-Referenced Test

(NRT), meaning studentscores are ranked in

comparison with those of theirpeers on a national level. All

of the assessment dataincluded in the study are

sorted by grade andmerged or pooled into

one data set for the 3 yearperiod of 2006-2007, 2007-2008, and 2008-2009 by test type(LEAP, GEE, and iLEAP).

EVALUATION STRATEGYEight grades in West Baton Rouge Parish School District

were studied and analyzed according to the effect of PRIMETIME program on grade-level assessments.1 Evidence ofsustainability as well as the substantial number ofparticipating families and students were major

535 sites1991-2010 (projected)

21,800 participants reached1991-2010 (projected)

Louisiana Expansion

St. Bernard

Plaquemines

Caddo

Bossier

Claiborne

Sabine

Winn

Jackson

Wes

tCa

rrol

lEa

stCa

rrol

lEvangeline

JeffersonDavis

Tangipahoa

Jefferson

Assumption

Lafourche

Washington

St. Tammany

Orleans

Terrebonne

St.James

Livingston

St.HelenaEast

Feliciana

EastBatonRougeWest

BatonRouge

WestFeliciana

Iberville Ascension

VermilionCameron

Calcasieu

Beauregard

Vernon

Rapides

Avoyelles

AllenSt. Landry

AcadiaSt.

Martin

Lafayette

Iberia

St. Mary

PointeCoupee

Catahoula

Conc

ordi

aGrant

La SalleNachitoches

Bienville

Lincoln

Ouachita Richland

Caldwell

Morehouse

Franklin

Madison

Tensas

St. J

ohn

The

Bapt

ist

St.Charles

Web

ster

De SotoRedRiver

Union

37 3

6

1

3

2

1

1

54

2 2

21756

19

8

83

41

33

3

85

7 65

6

20

19 4

8

4

1

2 1214

3 39

24

13

9

21

563

4

8

11

59

277

2

5

1021

2

12

1

GRADE 4LEAP

Final Evaluation

ReportGRADE 5

iLEAP

GRADE 6iLEAP

Generalized Assessment Model For Data Collection

GRADE 3iLEAP

2006-09

2006-09

2006-09

Gender

Ethnic

Ed Class

Econo

Subgroups

Data across 3 years were merged, but randomlysampled by school based on number of participants per school.

Gender

Ethnic

Ed Cla

ss

Econo

Factored out Factored out

CONTROL NON-PARTICIPANTS

TREATMENTPRIME TIME PARTICIPANTS

SAMPLE

GRADE 7iLEAP

GRADE 8LEAP

GRADE 9iLEAP

GRADES 10-12GEE GEE

2006-09

iLEAP

2006-09

LEAP

2006-09

iLEAP

iLEAP

iLEAP

LEAP2006-09

considerations in choosing this school district for the study. TheWest Baton Rouge Parish Library conducted 21 PRIME TIMEprograms since 1996, enrolling almost 1,400 students and theirparents/guardians. A total of 4,350 West Baton Rouge Parishstudent participants and non participants were studied,including repeaters reoccurring each of the three years, and arandom sample of 816 students in the control group, and 816students in the PRIME TIME treatment group. The data werefurther sorted by school, grade, gender, ethnicity, free orreduced lunch (as a measure of economic status), andeducational classification. In general, the profiles of thePRIME TIME participation (treatment) group contained:more participants on free and reduced lunch (economicallydisadvantaged), a higher percentage of students identifiedfor special education, a higher percentage of Blackstudents, and a higher percentage of female students.Students with exceptionalities were factored out of the study.This decision was based on the low participation numbers forstudents with exceptionalities in PRIME TIME, thus failing toprovide a viable sample with which to work. Below is a figureshowing the data collection components for this study.

Generalized Assessment Model For Data Collection

1 The Curriculum Impact Chart is available in Figure 36, page 54. Table 27 on page 53 provides an overview of the findings.

PRIME TIME was created as apreemptive approach to addressingthe problem of intergenerationalilliteracy before it became anirreversible problem.

GENERAL kEY FINDINGS

0

11

23

34

45

0

11

23

34

45

# of Variables

2

42 43 43 2615

28

1

163rd 5th

6th7th

9thGrade

PTControl

0

8

15

23

30

0

8

15

23

30

# of Variables

25

15

21

4th

GradeHigh

L

PTControl

There is statistical evidence, based on the analyses ofthe study, that students who participate in the PRIMETIME program during their early elementary years, firstthrough fourth grades, performed at a higher level ongrade level content areas of LEAP, iLEAP, and GEE.Students who participated had mean performancescores and sub scores that were consistently higher ingrades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and high school. This study revealedthat student performance was consistently higher thannational norms in grades 3 and 5 as measured by Norm

Curve Equivalents (NCEs)2 in Reading, Language, andMathematics, and grade 6 in Reading. While no specificreason can be discerned as to why the 8th grade analysisdiffered from that of the other seven grades in the study,the anomaly can be reasonable attributed to a smallersample size of the treatment group than needed for fullyconsistent measurement. Below is a brief summary ofcompiled findings by grade level and the correspondingnumber of variables showing that the PRIME TIMEparticipants scored higher than the Control Group.

n 3rd Grade (PT Target Grade). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 42 out of 44 variables. n 4th Grade (PT Target Grade). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 25 out of 26 variables.n 5th Grade (1 Year Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 43 out of 43 variables. n 6th Grade (2 Years Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 43 out of 43 variables. n 7th Grade (3 Years Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 26 out of 42 variables.n 8th Grade (4 Years Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 3 out of 26 variables. n 9th Grade (5 Years Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 15 out of 43 variables.n High School (8 Years Post PT). Ratio of PT variables is higher than Control Group in 21 out of 26 variables.

iLEAP Performance Ratios:# of Variables PRIME TIME Participants

Scored Higher vs. Control Group

LEAP Performance Ratios:# of Variables PRIME TIME Participants

Scored Higher vs. Control Group

2 NCE -Norm Curve Equivalent

SPECIFIC kEY FINDINGSPRIME TIME Participants Scored Higher vs. Control Group

55

61.25

67.50

73.75

80

55

61.25

67.50

73.75

80

LEAP Sub Score

75.5

70.568.3

63.1

69.3

61.6

72.9

67.9

LEAP Sub Score Area Sampling

Use Conventions ofLanguage P=.02 Physical Science

P=.05Life Science P=.002

Science & Environment P=.05

PT

Control

40

42

45

47

49

51

54

56

58

40

42

45

47

49

51

54

56

58

Performance Score

55.4

49.9 51.3

45.8

50.8

46.3

53

47.3

NCEs Sampling

Language NormalCurve Equivalent

P=.018MathematicsTotal Normal

Curve EquivalentP=.018

Reading Total Normal Curve Equivalent

P=.035 Survey Core Total Normal Curve Equivalent

P=.006PT Mean N=109Control Mean N=109

3rd Grade NCE Performance

4th Grade Sub Score Data (2006-2009)

3rd GradePRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 95.5%

(42 out of 44) areas of theiLEAP

n 17 areas had performancemeasures that werestatistically significantlyhigher

4th GradePRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 96%

(25 out of 26) areas of theLEAP

n 5 areas had performancemeasures that werestatistically significantlyhigher

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

Performance Score

50.6

44.8

54.4

50.4

Survey Core Total NormalCurve Equivalent P=.006

Reading Total NormalCurve Equivalent P=.007

NCEs SamplingPT Mean N=113Control Mean N=113

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

Performance Score

50.3

45.2

52.5

48.6Survey Core Total NormalCurve Equivalent P=.034

Reading Total NormalCurve Equivalent P=.042

NCEs SamplingPT Mean N=120Control Mean N=120

5th Grade NCE Performance

6th Grade NCE Performance

SPECIFIC kEY FINDINGSPRIME TIME Participants Scored Higher vs. Control Group

5th GradePRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 100%

(43 out of 43) areas of theiLEAP

n 21 areas had performancemeasures that werestatistically significantlyhigher

6th GradePRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 100%

(41 out of 41) areas of theiLEAP

n 15 areas had performancemeasures that werestatistically significantlyhigher

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

Sub Score

57.3

54.2

61.259.8

72.7

69.8

49.7

45.3

56.9

53.1

iLEAP Sub Score Area Sampling

Write Competently Use

Conventionsof Language

Locate Select& SymbolizeInformation

Algebra

Geometry

PT Mean N=108Control Mean N=108

45

51.25

57.5

63.75

70

45

51.25

57.5

63.75

70

LEAP Su

b Score

68

59.6

67.4

60

63.5

57.160

52.1

LEAP Sub Score Area Sampling

Number &Number Relations

P=.047Patterns Relations

& Functions P=.027

Science asInquiry P=.10 Life Science

P=.042

PT Mean N=41-62Control Mean N=47-58

7th Grade Sub Score Data (2006-2009)

High School Sub Score Data (2006-2009)

SPECIFIC kEY FINDINGSPRIME TIME Participants Scored Higher vs. Control Group

7th GradePRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 62%

(26 out of 42) areas of theiLEAP

High School PRIME TIME Students:n Performed higher on 81%

(21 out of 26) areas of the GEEn 3 areas had performance

measures that were statisticallysignificantly higher

n 2 areas showed probabilitylevels

OThER OBSERVABLE EFFECTS

n Effects by Grade. Students who participated in PRIMETIME outperformed students in the Control Group whodid not participate in PRIME TIME.

n Effects by Gender. Female and male students whoparticipated in PRIME TIME performed higher whencompared to the control group of female and malestudents who did not participate. Female studentsperformed higher than male students in reading;however, male students tended to score higher inscience, mathematics, and social science. In 3rd, 4th and5th grades, female students scored higher, yet in theupper level grades, the male students demonstrated amix of performance over females.

n Effects by Ethnicity. Summary results indicate thatBlack and White students who participated in PRIMETIME performed higher than Black and White students inthe Control Group who had not participated. The Whitestudents performed higher than Black students in everyarea, reflecting historic national academicdemographics.3 However, the Black students who hadparticipated in PRIME TIME scored close to the mean ofthe White students who had not participated.

n Effects by Economic Level. Three grades: 8th, 9th, andhigh school showed significant differences in thedistribution of students between the two study groups.The PRIME TIME group contained a higher number ofparticipants who were classified as “At-Risk” due toeconomic level based on self report of free or reducedlunch status.

MOVING TOWARDS PRIME TIME FULL CIRCLEThis study was conducted by James Edward Barr, Ed.D.,

Professor Emeritus Nicholls State University, where hetaught graduate courses in Research Methods and ProgramEvaluation and served as a graduate faculty member for 20years.   His work with the Board of Elementary andSecondary Education (BESE) over the past 15 years inLouisiana helped establish the evaluation process for charterschools in the state. Prior to his work at Nicholls StateUniversity, he served as a psychometrician in the Office ofResearch and Development helping develop Louisiana’sAssessment Program, and later as State Science Supervisorin the Louisiana Department of Education.  Dr. Barrcontinues to work as an Evaluation-Research consultant withvarious federal, state, local agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations, such as the National Association ofCharter School Authorizers, the Louisiana Department ofEducation, the National Institute of Health, National ScienceFoundation and the U.S. Department of Education.

These results were derived from the traditional PRIMETIME FAMILY READING TIME 6-8 week family literacy

In general, the profiles of the PRIME TIMEparticipation (treatment) group contained: moreparticipants on free and reduced lunch(economically disadvantaged),a higherpercentage of students identified for specialeducation, a higher percentage of Black students,and a higher percentage of female students.

3 Example of recent annual publication from American College Testing. Each year’s testing provides a profile of student performance across the nation.http://www.act.org/news/data/09/pdf/National2009.pdf

Demographic summary of pooled high school students for 2006-07, 2007-08,2008-09. showing Control and PRIME TIME students sorted by economic status(At-Risk) (X2=8.8, P=.003).

Demographic summary of pooled high school students for 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09. showing control and PRIME TIME students sorted by ethnicity(X2=3.60, P=.02).

SAMPLE DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY

programs only.  This study does not measure the additionalstructures now incorporated into the PRIME TIMEcomprehensive menu of services known as PRIME TIME FullCircle, which includes graduate seminars for teachers andintensive ongoing professional development workshops forparticipating schools (still in development). It also does notmeasure the effect of the bilingual PRIME TIME programs,offered in Spanish/English and French/English, which havebeen developed and implemented statewide.

Because the human consequence is so great, PRIME TIMEwill continue to monitor closely its impact on theeducational progress of its target audience of at-riskchildren and their parents/guardians.  Especially in that theadditional dimension of PRIME TIME Full Circle has beendeveloped, it is our hope that in the future we will provesufficiently effective to become unnecessary. 

Miranda RestovicDirector, PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME®

Michael Sartisky, Ph.D.President/Executive DirectorLouisiana Endowment for the Humanities

PRIME TIME was created as a preemptiveapproach to addressing the problem ofintergenerational illiteracy before itbecame an irreversible problem.

Since 1991 PRIME TIME has enrolled almost 40,000 at-risk childrenand their parents/guardians. In recognition of its quality and impact,more than 200 of all statewide programs have been implemented inpublic schools or in collaboration with public schools.

Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall938 Lafayette Street • Suite 300 • New Orleans, LA 70113

504.523.4352 • Fax: 504.529.2358 • www.leh.org

The LEH thanks the West Baton Rouge Parish Library and the West Baton Rouge Parish School District for their collaboration on this study.

THIS STUDY WAS MADE POSSIBLE WITH A GRANT FROM