This is the url to a review of a book we used in one of the Literacy Coach training about 7 years back. This system had around 14,000+ students back in the mid 90's. The system actually starting meeting the NCLB standards way before the federal gov't started requiring them. The system had 90% of their 3rd graders reading at or above grade level by the end of the their 3rd grade year.
"We have learned that for 90% to 95% of poor readers, prevention and early intervention programs...can increase reading skills to average reading levels. We have also learned that if we delay intervention until nine years of age, approximately 75% of the children will continue to have difficulties learning to read throughout high school."G. Reid Lyon, Director, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
The book is digest size and not very thick. It is written in an easy to follow style, and not a lot of jargon to interfere with understanding for those of us without specific training. It's a fascinating book. And, no, this isn't a system in an affluent area. These are kids much like ours.
http://virtual-institute.us/90%25.htm - has a review of the book with numerous chapter excerpts. It's an excellent introduction to the Kennewick School System in Washington state, and what they did to turn their system around.
A follow up book called Annual Growth for All Students; Catch-up Growth for Those Who Are Behind has also been written by the same authors. In that book, they also address the needs of secondary learners. 
