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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™

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

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)

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.

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.

Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)

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.

Sistema de evaluación de la lectura (SEL)

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.
Research

Fountas & Pinnell Classroom™ (FPC)

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.

Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI)

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.

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.

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.

Benchmark Assessment System (BAS)

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.

Phonics, Spelling, and Word Study System (PWS)

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

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.

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.

Units of Study

Visit the Units of Study Research & Results Page

Data Reports

Units of Study: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Grades K-8

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.

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

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
Case Studies

Units of Study: Reading, Writing, Phonics, Grades K-8

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

PS 249, The Caton School, Brooklyn, NY

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic, Black
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • District Size: Large
  • Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners
  • Highlights: National Blue Ribbon School; number 1 Title I school in the country

North Shore Middle School/Hartland South Intermediate School, Hartland Lakeside School District, Hartland, WI
Southwood Glen Elementary School, Franklin School District, Franklin, WI

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: K-8
  • Region: Midwest
  • District Urbanicity: Suburban
  • District Size: Medium
  • Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners

PS 15, Roberto Clemente School, Manhattan, NY

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • District Size: Large
  • Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic, Asian, Black
  • Highlights: The school was recently recognized as a School of Recognition in Good Standing, with special commendation as ‘Most Improved.’

PS 91 Richard Arkwright School, Queens, NY

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

PS 290, Manhattan New School

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • District Size: Large

PS/MS 20, P.O. George J. Werdann, III School, Bronx, NY

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary, Middle
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Urban
  • District Size: Large
  • Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic, Black
  • Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learner

Burr Elementary School, Fairfield, CT

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Suburban
  • District Size: Medium
  • Race/Ethnicity: Hispanic, White, Multiracial
  • Population: Students with Disabilities, Economically Disadvantaged, English Learners

Darien Public Schools, Darien, CT

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Suburban
  • District Size: Medium
  • Highlights: Hindley and Tokeneke, two of Darien’s five elementary schools, have been awarded National Blue Ribbon status.

Harwinton Consolidated School, Harwinton, CT

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Suburban
  • District Size: Small
  • Population: Hispanic, White, Multiracial

Kelly Lane Primary School, Granby Public Schools, Granby, CT

  • Report Type: Case Study
  • Grade Level: Elementary
  • Region: Northeast
  • District Urbanicity: Suburban
  • District Size: Small

Units of Study Research Base

Teachers College Reading and Writing Project is a think tank that has long built its ideas and practices off of established and new research. Download the Research Base document for a summary of some of TCRWP’s key beliefs and practices as well as a summary of the research that informs their work.