| This study investigated the results of a reading and language arts intervention program, HOSTS, designed for at-risk students in the third, fourth, and fifth grades. The study focused on differences between subjects classified into two entrance-level groups. The results were based on the criterion variable of academic achievement consisting of Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) Survey Battery Tests of Reading Advanced Skills, Reading Total, Language Advanced Skills, and Language Total. In addition, this study examined the relationship between the criterion variables and the independent variables of race, gender, and grade level.;The subjects in this study were 311 students who participated in the HOSTS Program the entire 1996–97 school year. The subjects were divided into two entrance level groups according to pretest Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE) scores on the ITBS Survey Battery, Reading Total test.;Sixteen hypotheses were tested using the techniques of t test and two-way ANOVA. The .05 alpha level was used in testing all hypotheses. Four of these hypotheses were accepted, and 12 were rejected.;The major conclusions of the study were as follows: (1) The low entrance-level group of subjects achieved at a higher expected level than did the high entrance-level group on the variables of Reading Advanced Skills and Reading Total. (2) Asian and Black subjects in the low entrance-level group achieved at a much higher level than did the high entrance-level group on the variable of Reading Advanced Skills. (3) There was only a small non-significant difference between the low and high entrance-level groups for White subjects on the variable of Reading Advanced Skills. (4) Males and females in the low entrance-level group had a higher level of achievement than did males and females in the high entrance level group on the variable of Reading Total. However, the difference between the female subjects in the two entrance-level groups was much higher than found for the male subjects on the variable of Reading Total. (5) The difference between the low and high entrance-level groups was constant across the grade levels on the variables of Reading Advanced Skills, Reading Total, Language Advanced Skills, and Language Total. |
