WestEd, a nonprofit research group, on Friday released its analysis of the state's new K-3 reading program to the Utah Board of Education. It showed several school districts and charter schools have better readers in their younger grades, a step WestEd director Paul Koehler praises as "really good progress."

Of the 40 school districts and seven charter schools using the program, 20 saw improved scores in their first-grade state language arts exams, 28 saw improvement in second-graders and 24 in third-graders.

"If a child reads at grade level or better by third grade, it is a huge and significant advantage. It is a key indicator for future academic success," Koehler said.

While Koehler knows the state has a long way to go to have every student reading at grade level, he is pleased with the progress one year has brought.

"The results are encouraging," WestEd research assistant Reino Makkonen said.

The program allows each district to set its own reading goals, and while Koehler appreciates the autonomy, he says it can be a struggle to measure each district by the same standards. However, he and Patti Harrington, state schools superintendent, believe the districts are setting "rigorous" goals that will help all students in the state.

"The districts are not anxious to make easy goals. I trust them to be aggressive and reasonable because they want these kids to read," she said.

WestEd on Wednesday will present its findings to the Legislature's Education Interim Committee, and the state school board hopes to secure renewed funding for the reading program.

smcfarland@sltrib.com