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[H1] Research & Results

Grounded in practice and research, our programs have helped millions of students make progress and teachers increase their skills. Heinemann's classroom resources demonstrate evidence of success and follow the highest research standards. On this page, you'll explore customer case studies and efficacy studies from top education organizations that demonstrate the ability our resources have to improve the lives of students. You will also discover the scholarly research that underlies these programs.

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Fountas & Pinnell Literacy™

Results, Efficacy and Case Studies

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)
Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)
Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)
Sistema de evaluación de la lectura (SEL)
Research

Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)
Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)
Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)
Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System (PWS)

Saxon Phonics and Spelling

Research Evidence Base
Randomized Control Trial (RCT), Grades 1, & 2
Case Study Research Summaries, Grades 1, 2, & 3

Units of Study

Data Reports
Case Studies

Do The Math

ESSA Evidence Criteria for Do The Math
Do The Math Clear Creek Independent School District Efficacy Study
Do The Math St. Louis Park Public Schools Efficacy Study

Math Expressions

Math Expressions Meets ESSA Strong Evidence Criteria
Math Expressions Research Evidence Base
US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
Math Expressions: Impact Study, Grades 2 and 4
Math Expressions: Efficacy Study, Grades 3 and 5

Matific

Research Evaluation: Matific Mathematics Learning Resources
An Evaluation of Matific Uses in Grades Two and Three: A Study of Matific Product Effectiveness
Research Evaluation of Matific

[H2] Fountas & Pinnell Literacy™

Fountas and Pinnell share a long history of writing books and materials that are research-based and practical for teachers to use. As a result, they are committed to the important role of research in the development and ongoing evaluation of all of their reading, writing, phonics, and classroom resources.
Visit the Fountas & Pinnell Literacy™ Research and Standards Page

Results, Efficacy and Case Studies

[H3]
Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)

[H4] The What Works Clearinghouse LLI Effectiveness Study

Report Type: Third Party Assessment
Grade Level: K-2
Highlights: The What Works Clearinghouse and the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) found LLI to have a POSITIVE EFFECT on general reading achievement and reading fluency based on a comprehensive review of available evidence.

Full Report

[H4] Evidence for ESSA review of LLI K–2

Report Type: Third Party Assessment
Grade Level: K-2
Highlights: ESSA reviewed the research on LLI, finding STRONG EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS for students in grades K-2.

Full Report

[H4] Efficacy of the Leveled Literacy Intervention System for K-2 Urban Students: Denver Public Schools

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: K-2
Region: West
District Urbanicity: Urban
District Size: Large
Highlights: The results of the LLI efficacy study in Denver, CO revealed that LLI POSITIVELY IMPACTS students’ literacy achievement.

Executive Summary
Full Report

[H4] Implementation of Effective Intervention: An Empirical Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: K-2
Region: Southeast, Northeast
District Urbanicity: Rural, Suburban
District Size: Medium
Highlights: The LLI efficacy study conducted in GA and NY employed a randomized controlled trial, mixed-methods design and included both quantitative and qualitative data to discover POSITIVE IMPACTS on students’ literacy achievement.

Executive Summary

Full Report

[H4] The Efficacy of the Leveled Literacy Intervention System for Students in Grades 3–5: Data Summary Report for Abilene Independent School District

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: 3-5
Region: Southwest
District Urbanicity: Urban
District Size: Large
Highlights: The quantitative and qualitative LLI efficacy study in Abilene, TX of 548 student participants found POSITIVE IMPACTS on students’ literacy achievement.

Full Report

[H4] The Efficacy of the Leveled Literacy Intervention System for Students in Grades 3–5: Data Summary Report for Denver Public Schools

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: 3-5
Region: West
District Urbanicity: Urban
District Size: Large
Highlights: The LLI efficacy study in Denver, CO of 115 students in 3rd-5th grade used a mixed-methods design and included both quantitative and qualitative data to discover POSITIVE IMPACTS on students’ literacy achievement.

Full Report

[H4] The Efficacy of the Leveled Literacy Intervention System for Students in Grades 3–5: Data Summary Report for Sandwich Public Schools

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: 3-5
Region: Northeast
District Urbanicity: Suburban
District Size: Medium
Highlights: The LLI efficacy study in Sandwich, MA determined the efficacy of LLI in increasing literacy achievement for students in grades 3-5, examined implementation fidelity, and determined perceptions of the LLI system according to relevant stakeholder, concluding in POSITIVE IMPACTS on students’ literacy achievement.

Full Report

[H4] Leveled Literacy Intervention Data Collection Project

Report Type: Self-Reported Data Study
Grade Level: K-2
Region: North America
District Urbanicity: Urban, Suburban, Rural
District Size: Large, Medium, Small
Highlights: In this descriptive study of reading gains, 34 sites across the United States and Canada submitted data forms to self-report on student demographics, teacher experience, implementation, and performance data for LLI, finding POSITIVE IMPACTS on students’ literacy achievement.

Executive Summary: Year 1

Executive Summary: Year 2
Summary: Special Education Students
Summary: English Language Learners
Browse 34 Site-Specific Reports

[H3] Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)

[H4] Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ : Spotlight on Midway Independent School District

Report Type: Case Study
Grade Level: K-6
Region: Southwest
District Urbanicity: Suburban
District Size: Large, Medium
Highlights: Beyond a new level of competency in literacy as measured through assessments and report cards, FPC has influenced the culture at Midway Independent School District, turning reluctant students into avid readers.

Full Report

[H4] Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ : Spotlight on Hillsboro City Schools

Report Type: Case Study
Grade Level: K-6
Region: United States
District Urbanicity: Urban, Suburban, Rural
District Size: Large, Medium, Small
Highlights: Hillsboro City Schools’ 3rd grade state test scores doubled after the first year of implementation of FPC.

Full Report

[H3] Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)

[H4] Field Study of Reliability and Validity of Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Systems 1 and 2

Report Type: Field Study
Grade Level: K-8
Highlights: A total of 22 different schools participated a formative evaluation of BAS to assess reliability of text leveling, and validity and accuracy of reading cores to identify student reading levels.

Executive Summary
Full Report

[H3] Sistema de evaluación de la lectura (SEL)

[H4] Field Study of Validity and Reliability: Sistema de evaluación de la lectura (SEL)

Report Type: Field Study
Grade Level: K-2
Highlights: A formative evaluation of the Sistema was conducted to ensure that (1) the leveling of the texts is reliable, and (2) the reading scores are valid and accurately identify each student's reading level. Click on the links below to review the results.

Read Executive Summary
Read Full Report
Read more about SEL Research and the Advisory Panel

Research

[H3] Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)

[H4] The Research Base for Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™

Report Type: Research Base
Grade Level: PreK-6
Highlights: Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ rests on a thorough and thoughtful examination of existing research. This is an extensive review of the foundational research underpinning the development of FPC, along with recent research that supports and aligns with a comprehensive literacy system.

Read FPC Research Base
Read more about FPC Research and Standards

[H4] Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ K–3 QED Study

Report Type: QED Research Study Results
Grade Level: K-3
Region: Kentucky
District Urbanicity: Suburban
District Size: Medium
Highlights: RMC Research Corporation (RMC) partnered with Heinemann to conduct this study, which documents how participation in Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ had a statistically significant and positive impact on NWEA® MAP® Growth™ Reading scores for students in Grades K—3 (n = 1,319) in one medium-sized Kentucky school district during the 2022-23 school year.

Full Report

[H3] Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)

[H4] Research Base for Leveled Literacy Intervention, Grades K–2 (Levels A–N)

Report Type: Research Base
Grade Level: K-5+
Highlights: The development of LLI was driven by prior research that established about how children learn to read, and what works best with struggling readers.

LLI K-2 Research Base

[H4] Research Base for Leveled Literacy Intervention, Grades 3–5+ (Levels L–W)

Report Type: Research Base
Grade Level: K-5+
Highlights: The 15 principles on which the LLI Red, Gold, and Purple systems are based are discussed, along with the supporting research. The lesson framework for the extended systems of LLI rests on these principles.

LLI 3-5 Research Base

[H4] Research connected with the Development of LLI

Report Type: Field Study, Pilot Study
Grade Level: K-5+
Highlights: During the development of LLI, a field study was conducted at sites around the United States to assess the LLI Student data from three of sites was analyzed for a pilot research project that examined student progress.

Field Study
Pilot Study
Read more about LLI Research, Standards and Efficacy

[H3] Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)

[H4] BAS Research

Report Type: Field Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: K-8
Highlights: An outside evaluation team conducted an independent study of the system's reliability and validity as a way of measuring reading progress against grade-level criteria.

Executive Summary
Full Report
Read more about BAS Research

[H3] Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System (PWS)

[H4] Research Base: Phonics, Spelling and Word Study Systems (K-6)

Report Type: Research Base
Grade Level: K-6
Highlights: This document explores twelve compelling principles distilled from a large body of research and decades of research on literacy

Research Base

[H4] The Fountas & Pinnell Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Systems: Explicit, Systematic, and Grounded in the Twelve Principles from Research

Report Type: Research Summary
Grade Level: K-6
Highlights: The Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study Systemsare grounded in twelve principles derived from research evidence.

Twelve Principles

[H4] Phonics Lessons © 2003

Report Type: Research Base
Grade Level: K-6
Highlights: Phonics Lessons are grounded in a wide base of academic research, including all the areas examined by The National Reading Panel, and reflect its recommendations for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Phonics Lessons Research Base (2003)
Read more about PWS Research

[H2] Saxon Phonics and Spelling

Research Data
[H3] Saxon Phonics and Spelling: Evidence and Research Trials

[H4] Research Evidence Base

Download the Report

[H4] Randomized Control Trial (RCT) Grades 1 and 2

Download the Report

[H4] Case Studies Research Trials (CSRT) Grades 1, 2, and 3

Download the Report

[H2] Units of Study

Visit the Units of Study Research & Results Page

Data Reports
[H3] Units of Study: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Grades K-8

[H4] American Institutes for Research Study

Report Type: Efficacy Study, Study Conducted by Third Party
Grade Level: 3-5
Region: Northeast, Southeast
District Urbanicity: Urban, Suburban
District Size: Large, Medium
Population: Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners, Students with Disabilities
Highlights: “Overall, results indicate that TCRWP implementation is associated with improvements on ELS achievement starting in the second year of implementation, and in schools that opt to continue with the approach long term, the magnitude of effects grow larder over time.” Furthermore, results pertain to subgroups of students with disabilities and multilingual language learners as well as the general student population.

Download the Report

[H4] New York City Data Report, 2019

Report Type: Efficacy Study
Grade Level: Elementary
Region: Northeast
District Urbanicity: Urban
District Size: Large
Race/Ethnicity: Asian, Black, Hispanic, White, Multiracial
Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners

Download the Report

[H4] California Data Report, 2018

Report Type: Efficacy Study
Grade Level: Elementary
Region: Northeast
District Urbanicity: Urban, Suburban
District Size: Large
Race/Ethnicity: Asian, Black, Hispanic, White, Multiracial
Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners

Download the Report

Case Studies
[H3] Units of Study: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Grades K-8

[H4] PS 249, The Caton School, Brooklyn, NY
PS 36, J.C. Drumgoole School, Staten Island, NY
PS 199, Jesse Isadore Strauss, Manhattan, NY

Report Type: Case Study
Grade Level: K-2
Region: Northeast
District Urbanicity: Urban
District Size: Large
Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners

View the Case Study

[H4] PS 249, The Cat

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[H1] Teaching Unscripted

A Heinemann blog for curious educators.

[H4] Latest Posts

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