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Parsons Accelerated School
Decatur, IL

Parsons is a Title 1 school (73% Free and Reduced Lunch qualified) which has been using the Waterford Early Reading Program™ since 1999, and Waterford Early Math & Science™ since it was first tested at the school in Fall 2000. It was the first site in Decatur Public Schools to implement Waterford, and has served as a "training ground" for the district as the implementation has expanded to additional schools.

Waterford is used as a "flexible tool" that supports every teaching style. Usage is verified by the principal on a monthly basis. At the end of the year, the Waterford reports are placed into a cumulative file that follows the students as they continue on. Classroom curriculum is closely integrated with Waterford topics and themes. A training tape was completed showing three different teachers integrating WERP into classroom instruction, and how off-line materials support the district’s curriculum.

Cathy Force and Kim Quinlan have also participated closely with the Waterford Institute during nearly two years of Waterford Early Math & Science testing at Parsons. Currently, they use Math & Science as their main math program, leaving them more time to do hands-on activities with the entire class or small groups during math time. They represented this new curriculum at the State IASA Conference and the national NCTM conference.
  

Evidence and Results

An analysis of 353 first graders who used the Waterford Early Reading Program in both kindergarten and first grade showed the number of students scoring "Above Average" on the Iowa Basic Reading Achievement Test appeared to be significantly higher in the Waterford Group than a comparable control group. Waterford results (31%) were significantly higher than the national norm (23%) and higher than control classrooms in Decatur not using Waterford (26%). Initial testing of math skills following a full year of Waterford Early Math & Science showed Parsons’ students testing nearly 4 months ahead of a comparable control group.

  
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