Educators and policymakers have been concerned about the problem of early literacy performance for many decades. Despite educational reform to increase standards, many children consistently fail to read at levels that enable them to compete globally. The purpose of this study was to provide a data driven program evaluation of a reading intervention used in a metropolitan elementary school. The theoretical framework, constructivism, supports the program's cognitive developmental structure through active learning and practice. The guiding question involved understanding the effectiveness of an early reading intervention program on literacy skills of struggling 5th graders. The following data analyses were utilized: a one-sample chi-square test compared the overall criterion-referenced competency test (CRCT) levels, a repeated measures ANOVA determined growth in literacy skills as measured by the checkpoints diagnostic tests, and a regression analysis determined the predictability of the March checkpoints skills inventory, a school based diagnostic test, on CRCT results. The results of the program evaluation indicated that students increased significantly in the CRCT areas of literacy skills and information and media literacy but did not increase significantly in the area of reading literacy and vocabulary acquisition skills. The recommendations include specific interventions such as demonstrating word origins to students and providing a literature rich environment that includes reading material of high interest in order to develop reading literacy and vocabulary acquisition skills beginning in kindergarten and continuing through the elementary experience. Implications for positive social change include developing the above interventions to increase literacy skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]