The findings from PIRLS 2011 revealed that 43% of South African Grade 5 learners did not have the basic reading skills required for reading at an equivalent international Grade 4 level. Furthermore, prePIRLS revealed that 29% of Grade 4 learners did not have the rudimentary reading skills required for reading at an equivalent international Grade 2 level. Given this low performance after six years of interventions, what has changed in primary schools and their surrounding communities? The research objectives are to investigate: - to what extent classroom resources, teachers’ practices and profile of teachers have changed since PIRLS 2006; - to what extent schooling conditions, including the environment and resources, have improved in six years; and - how different factors affected the reading achievement of Grade 4 learners. The analysis will be guided theoretically by a school effectiveness model. Trend variables from the teacher and principal questionnaires will be identified and included in significance testing to ascertain any change over time. Thereafter they will be analyzed in a regression model to determine their effect, if any, on the reading achievement for 2012.