This is Maureen Marquez’s response to an inquiry from someone who wanted to start their own business using the Academic Associates Reading Program. Maureen runs two full-time learning centers.

I will answer your questions according to how you sent them:

1. How long have you had your learning center?

I have had one center for seven years and started a second center two years ago.

2. How successful have your students been?

I have never had a student whose reading level did not improve AT LEAST two grade levels within the first two months of the program. Of course a lot of it depends on how eager the child is to learn to read (I’ve never met a child who did not want to improve his/her reading) and how consistent the parents were with getting the child to tutoring on time and showing an interest in his/her progress. The average student who completes the entire reading program has improved from four grade levels to ten grade levels.

3. Does the instructional program offer what it promises (fast results in a short
amount of time)?

I’m not sure what you consider short, but I used the reading program for my nephew when he was in kindergarten and by the time he was in first grade, he was reading at a fifth grade level. He’s now finishing second grade and reading at ninth grade seventh month. I have also had elementary and high school students who have improved more than five grade levels within four months. It’s an amazing thing to see how that changes not only their outlook on school, but their prospects for the future.

4. How supportive is the parent company?

Academic Associates is awesome! Every day that I use the program, I think “Thank goodness for Cliff and Betty Ponder and Rich and Dodie Rayl!” They are an extremely supportive team. They offer counsel in all areas of the program – from training and implementation through marketing and following through with the successes of your students. They are always just a phone call or email away.

5. Is there any other information you feel may be helpful?

Yes. Follow the program to the letter. Cliff has done this program for so long that there are no kinks in it to be worked out. I have used the program on at least 100 children from four to 23 years old in the past three years and have never felt a need to change or alter one thing. Each child has found reading success with it. My lowest-achieving child was a third-grader who only improved two grade levels in two months because his parents were not consistent with taking him to tutoring. One other first grader was pulled out of the program after only two weeks because the parents felt it was too much money and time to spend on reading. Six months later--after being retained in second grade--he re-enrolled in the program and is now reading in the seventh grade level. I suggest that you be sure to keep a contract between you and the parents in order to show that consistency helps the child improve. If they are late for appointments or just cancel, the program will not work as well or as quickly.

If you have any other questions, feel free to email again.
Maureen Marquez

Academic Associates Learning Centers    800.861.9196