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Federal Initiatives and Activities

Improving Literacy by Putting Reading First
"The [U.S.] administration is committed to ensuring that every child can read by the third grade. To help meet this goal, a new program will be established known as the 'Reading First' initiative."

The new Reading First Web site from the US Department of Education (US ED)

No Child Left Behind Increase Accountability for Student Performance: States, districts and schools that improve achievement will be rewarded. Failure will be sanctioned. Parents will know how well their child is learning, and that schools are held accountable for their effectiveness with annual state reading and math assessments in grades 3-8.
Focus on What Works: Federal dollars will be spent on effective, research-based programs and practices. Funds will be targeted to improve schools and enhance teacher quality.
Reduce Bureaucracy and Increase Flexibility: Additional flexibility will be provided to states and school districts, and flexible funding will be increased at the local level.
Empower Parents: Parents will have more information about the quality of their child's school. Students in persistently low-performing schools will be given choice.
President Bush - Putting Reading First Press Release, September 10, 2001.
President Bush also announced two new initiatives from the Department of Education to assist parents, teachers, and school administrators in improving the quality of reading instruction in America...
The Five Essential Components of Reading

1. Phonemic awareness, 2. Phonics, 3. Reading fluency, 4. Vocabulary development, 5. Reading comprehension strategies.
1. Conocimiento fonémico, 2. La fonética elemental, 3. La fluidez o soltura en la lectura, 4. El desarrollo de vocabulario, 5. Las estrategias de comprensión de la lectura.
See more on the U.S. Partnership for Family Involvement in Education Web site (this site loads very slowly, so be patient).
National Center for Education Statistics Check out the Average Reading Literacy Scores in the U.S. and other countries.
Reading Excellence Act (REA) "The law was passed for two major reasons. First, in recent years, findings from scientifically based reading research have provided compelling guidance for improved reading practice. Second, national assessments have continued to show great need for improving reading instruction in many schools, especially high poverty schools."

H.R. 1 Conference Report Highlights: Reading First

December 10, 2001
Fact sheet with a summary of the reading provisions in the H.R. 1 conference report.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, H.R. 1 The H.R. 1 conference report reflects each of the four pillars of President George W. Bush’s education reform plan: accountability and testing, flexibility and local control, funding for what works, and expanded parental options. It is a comprehensive overhaul of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was enacted in 1965 and is the principal federal law affecting K-12 education today.
New Jersey State Information: No Child Left Behind January 8, 2002
President Bush signs landmark education reforms into law bipartisan effort reaps historic freedom and flexibility for New Jersey schools.
S.1- Better Education for Students and Teachers Act SEC. 1221 of S.1, (the Senate version of H.R. 1). This section of Senate Bill 1 addresses the Reading First initiative.