There are several instances of school districts improving their standardized test scores after implementing the Accelerated Reader program. A Paducah, Kentucky, school district found that in the four years since putting the AR program into practice, there were major improvements on the Kentucky Core Content Test (KCCT). Students in fourth grade and seventh grade improved by 11 percentage points, while students in 10th grade improved by 17 percentage points.
According to a study reported in The Reading Matrix, students who were introduced to the AR program were more likely to spend more time at a library than those that did not. While this does not necessarily have a direct effect on testing, it can be surmised that students who spend more time in the library may be more likely to read, study and test positively.
Another finding in The Reading Matrix study was that teachers who encouraged their students with prizes for getting the most Accelerated Reader points found that higher-level students would read more lower-level books. These students read the easier books because the questions were simple to answer. Though unintentional, this encouragement may hold some readers back from taking on more difficult material, leaving them less prepared for difficult exams.
It follows naturally that a group of students who are poorly behaved may not perform as well on a test as a group that has no behavior problems. A Washington school district found that their implementation of Accelerated Reader not only doubled their percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards but it also improved student behavior. By improving behavior and test scores, the program may have a lasting impact on the lives of students.