Counting the uncounted: African American students in reading recovery

Abstract

This article examines Reading Recovery as a microcosm for issues related to race and access. Tenets of critical race theory are presented to explore how racial biases are systemic in our ways of being, teaching, and conducting research. Specifically, I present data for African American children involved in Reading Recovery in one Midwestern American city and explore contextual factors and policies related to both Reading Recovery and the sociopolitical context in which children live that affect their ability to benefit from the program. The article ends with a set of conclusions related to how well African American children are served by Reading Recovery. © The Author(s) 2011.