EXAMINING RURAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD AND EXPERIENCES WITH THE READING PLUS INTERVENTION PROGRAM: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY

Reading is the gateway to all other academic skills and across all disciplines of learning. Content courses at the high school level central focus are on reading to learn core curriculum verses learning to read. However, research shows that if students read significantly behind their typical peers, the reading gap widens throughout high school. Learning is stalled, and access to other contents, curriculums, and instructions becomes limited. To address the reading proficiency gap of high school students struggling to read in grade level, school districts have turned to computer assisted interventions programs, such as Reading Plus, to combat the reading gap challenges. This qualitative research study explores how high school students in a rural district perceive their placement in a reading intervention class and experiences with Reading Plus program. The research design for this study is qualitative since additional examination is necessary to understand high school students’ perceptions of their reading intervention instructional environment. This study was designed to explore what changes, if any, may occur in the reading perceptions (affective skills) and comprehension levels (cognitive skills) of participants in the Reading Plus program. The central question this study seeks to lift the conversations in the educational field is “What are the perceptions toward and experiences with the Reading Plus program and reading intervention course in a rural high school?” Responses were coded using NVivo software, and themes were analyzed. The data collection methods were a screener questionnaire and a semi-structured virtual interviews were used for data saturation of collected data.