Accelerated Reader is a computer program produced by Advantage Learning Systems, Inc. More that 45,000 schools use AR to enhance their reading programs. Blackwell Elementary purchased AR in 1999 and we currently have about 3,800 titles available for our students. The AR program provides immediate, individualized feedback on student performance. It is designed for Kindergarten students through 12^th grade, and all ability levels. Research shows that AR students show faster growth in reading achievement, and teachers often see higher test scores on both standardized and performance-based tests.

AR is easy to use! Students choose an AR book and read it at their own pace. Then they take a short quiz on the computer. Both the teacher and the student receive immediate feedback to direct ongoing reading practice.

 Blackwell also purchased STAR Reading, a computer-adaptive, norm-referenced reading test. Students choose the best word to complete a sentence, and the software instantly delivers the next question. The program weighs each answer and presents the next question at an appropriate difficulty level. STAR identifies an instructional reading level for each student, and can be taken several times each year to show progress.

Most of our Blackwell classrooms use AR. We have almost all of the 3,800 titles in our Blackwell Library. They have been labeled so that students can easily identify the books and find the reading level. You may search for AR titles by using our Follett Library Catalog, by using either the "Visual Search" or "Power" search tools.  Students will also find AR books in their classroom collections, home collections and at a King County Library.