California Department of Corrections

Institution

California Department of Corrections

Scope of Work

Reading Horizons was selected by California State University from among 24 other bids for use in the California Inmate Literacy Project (1994—1997). The following results describe the full three-year evaluation. Inmates enrolled in Reading Horizons included ESL students testing at or below the 4th grade reading level upon entry.

Tool

The WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test)

Evaluation

California Inmate Literacy Project (1994-1997). The data available show inmates made noticeable progress in this program. The results were surprising, since the majority of inmates were learning English as a Second Language.

Data

Grade Gains by Racial and Ethnic Background

In this program, Hispanics, the largest group, made the greatest gains, followed by Asian inmates. Black inmates, the second-largest group, achieved an average grade gain of 1.7. It should be noted that the number of Native American and Asian inmates is so small that the results are not generalized.

Evaluator's Observations

• By institution, the gains made by the inmates ranged from -0.6 to 4.3 grades.
• On average, inmates for whom both pre- and post-test scores are available exhibit a 2.1 grade gain.
• Student progress was remarkable.