This research analyzed the differences in percentages of proficiency levels of student End-of-Grade reading performance composites from selected Title I middle schools that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for five years and were subject to School Improvement sanctions, to include the transfer option of pubic school choice to students for three consecutive years. Seventeen (17) schools among twelve (12) school districts were represented in the study. The percentages of student proficiency levels from the selected middle schools' reading performance composites covered a period of five years from 2002 to 2007.

The results of this study point out that there is little significance among the distribution percentages of proficient student reading performance composites of targeted population's of students and the number of years their middle schools did not make AYP; therefore, it could be inferred that there is little significance between percentages of proficient student reading performance composites with low performing schools that have been subject to School Improvement sanctions and have had to offer the transfer option. However, significant differences were found among the distribution percentages of proficient reading performance composites among the selected schools and their school's geographical location. In addition, there were significant differences found among the distribution percentages of proficient reading performance composites of targeted population's of student and their school's geographical location.

Middle schools that were located in large/mid-size city schools had a greater chance of obtaining significant differences in the percentage levels of student proficiencies in reading performance composites than schools located in the suburban or rural schools. Mean scores and standard deviations indicated that schools that were located in these areas tend to make greater increases, regardless of ethnicity, economical advantage or exceptionality than suburban or rural student populations.