California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation
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 fourth-grade reading level upon entry.
California Inmate Literacy Project (1994-1997). The data available shows inmates made noticeable progress in this program. The results were
Tool
The WRAT (Wide Range Achievement Test)
Timeframe
Data
| SITE | # OF PARTICIPANTS | PRE-TEST | POST-TEST | GAIN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avenal State Prison | 48 | 5.2 | 8.1 | 2.9 |
| California Correctional Institution, Tehachapi | 10 | 5.7 | 9.8 | 4.1 |
| California Medical Facility, Vacaville | 1 | 2.1 | 4.3 | 2.2 |
| California Men's Colony, San Luis Obispo | 38 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 1.1 |
| California Rehabilitation Center, Norco | 25 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 0.4 |
| California State Prison, Corcoran | 1 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 1.0 |
| California State Prison, Los Angeles County | 11 | 7.9 | 9.5 | 1.6 |
| California State Prison, Solano | 36 | 5.3 | 7.7 | 2.4 |
| California State Prison | 10 | 2.2 | 4.4 | 2.2 |
| Central California Women's Facility, Chowchilla | 4 | 2.6 | 4.9 | 2.3 |
| Chuckwalla Valley State Prison, Blythe | 39 | 5.7 | 8.2 | 2.5 |
| Correctional Training Facility, Soledad | 12 | 3.7 | 6.7 | 3.0 |
| Deuel Vocational Institute, Tracy | 67 | 3.6 | 5.5 | 1.9 |
| Folsom State Prison | 35 | 5.1 | 7.5 | 2.4 |
| Ironwood State Prison, Blythe | 24 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 0.5 |
| Mule Creek State Prison, Ione | 21 | 7.3 | 11.3 | 4.0 |
| North Kern State Prison, Delano | 3 | 4.0 | 3.4 | -0.6 |
| R. J. Donovan Correction Facility, San Diego | 11 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 1.3 |
| Wasco State Prison | 4 | 2.1 | 4.2 | 2.1 |
| Averages & Totals | 400 | 5.2 | 7.3 | 2.1 |
Grade Gains by Racial and Ethnic Background
In this program, Hispanics, the largest ethnic 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.
| Racial and Ethnic Background | Number of Inmates | Pre-test | Post-test | Grade Gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native American | 1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 0.0 |
| Asian | 6 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 |
| Black | 74 | 4.9 | 6.6 | 1.7 |
| Hispanic | 270 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 2.4 |
| Caucasian | 17 | 4.2 | 5.7 | 1.5 |
| Other | 31 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 0.4 |
| Averages & Totals | 400 | 5.2 | 7.3 | 2.1 |
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.
Reading Horizons provides a reading curriculum for corrections, reading intervention, and elementary reading curriculum.