More than ever before, public schools are under immense pressure to raise the academic achievement of students. Administrators, teachers, and parents alike are searching for ways to equip students with the necessary knowledge to be successful in the 21st Century. Research proves that goal setting provides students with a tool to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning while increasing motivation and achievement. The purpose of this research is to determine the impact of goal setting on reading growth of elementary students. The study analyzed the reading performance of elementary students over a two year period. McNemar's Change Test analysis was used to determine if a significant difference existed between the reading growth achieved in fourth grade compared to reading growth achieved in fifth grade. Of the 328 students participating in the study, 69% made adequate growth after goal setting implementation as compared to only 60% prior to the implementation of goal setting. Data are provided collectively on all schools participating in the study as well as individually by school. [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.]