A Study of Days to Learn

A unique method is presented for measuring progress in reading and arithmetic at the elementary school level. It counts days to learn, or days required to pass mastery exams on units of instruction. Application of the method in three elementary schools of a small midwestern community, all three following a continuous progress curriculum, showed that pupils ultimately assigned to Chapter 1 and special education programs progressed slowly in reading and arithmetic in even the first days of the first grade. As measured in days to learn, pupils in the two categorical programs did not show acceleration in progress when receiving extra help from special teachers.