DAMEN, BEVERLY JANE

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop a model administration system for a primary reading program. The development of this model was based on identified practices common to successful primary school reading programs. Procedure. The school community included four elementary principals, twenty-six primary teachers, six elementary reading consultants, and two directors of reading. The instrument used in collecting the data for this study was a questionnaire composed of thirty-six items measuring distinct and basic concepts of organizational structure of design, namely, decision making/leadership, evaluation, communication, conflict, problem solving, motivation, and control. Also, information was gathered on the size and composition of an instructional reading group, hours of reading instruction per week, source(s) of reading instruction, parent involvement, and experience of primary reading teachers. In addition to the questionnaire, observations and interviews were made in order to gather more in-depth research and confirm that data received by the questionnaire to be reasonably accurate. The study was conducted in four Connecticut towns, cities, and/or individual schools where a reading program was said to be effective according to Right to Read, Educational Programs That Work, Connecticut Association of Reading Research, and/or the International Reading Association. The data were collected, collated, and converted into percentages for and against a process or program idea in order to develop the organizational model. Frequencies of responses dictated whether or not the process or program idea was included in the model. More than a 50 percent response was accepted as significant. The organizational design of effective reading programs was made and the organizational model was built on the significant responses, a review of the related literature, observations, and interviews.