A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Objective 2.2. Every child reads well and independently by the end of the third grade.

Key strategies for FY 1999

• Community-wide extended learning time programs in reading. Develop America Reads Challenge sites in each state that coordinate large extended learning, community-wide tutor/reading efforts linking families, schools (Title I, special education, and regular education programs) and other community partners. Provide $260 million in 1999 for the America Reads Challenge (ARC) to support extended learning reading opportunities; expand the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to $200 million to support 4,000 before- and after-school programs that include reading; provide $900 million for Federal Work-Study to 100,000 Work-Study students for ARC sites and other community extended learning, literacy efforts.

• Services for special populations. Encourage coordination among regular education, Title I, special education, and bilingual education reading programs for children to strengthen services to special populations. Place ARC sites in Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities to encourage support to high poverty Title I and Even Start students; provide $200 million to Education Opportunity Zones to effect reforms and raise standards in high poverty communities. Provide $7.8 billion in Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies to support state and local efforts to help approximately 10.5 million disadvantaged students; provide $3.8 billion for Special Education Grants to States to help states and school districts improve the quality of education provided to students with disabilities; provide $168 million to Bilingual Education Instructional Services to help increase the proportion of limited English proficient children that meet or exceed the basic level in reading.

• Improvement in K-3 reading instruction. Improve the instructional practice of K-3 reading teachers through the America Reads Challenge. Disseminate findings on quality reading instruction and interventions from the National Academy of Sciences study. Provide $1.1 billion to the Class Size Reduction Initiative to help ensure that every child receives individualized reading attention.

• Coordinated leadership and tools for systemic reform in reading. Develop a coordinated strategy among ED programs (Title I, special education, bilingual, and family literacy) for improved implementation of reading programs at the State and local level. Encourage community-level coordinated systemic reform in reading by developing "A Compact for Learning in Reading." Support the development and implementation of a National Voluntary Test in reading.

• Early childhood literacy activities in childcare settings and preschools. Partner America Reads pilot sites with Even Start and Head Start family literacy programs. Disseminate quality early literacy materials to family/home childcare settings and preschools. Provide $115 million to Even Start to support family literacy projects for children from birth through age 7.

• Research, evaluation, and dissemination. Develop a coordinated research agenda that builds on current and past research and evaluation findings in reading. Disseminate the National Academy of Science reading findings; collaborate with National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to launch 5-year study on acquisition of English and the teaching and learning of reading.

• Coordination and collaboration. More effectively coordinate and promote reading strategies, programs, and research within and outside the Department. Develop interagency collaborations and leverage key reading professional organizations like International Reading Association, National Council for Teachers of English, and American Library Association.

Coordination

• Corporation for National Services (CNS). Coordinate 65 ARC Pilot Sites with CNS grantee sites using CNS volunteer tutors; information and assistance to Challenge sites from State Commissioners and State Education Agency assistance to CNS sites; cross-use of CNS and Department publications for the Challenge as well as collaboratively develop materials; cross-use of CNS and Department websites; and cross-use of College Work Study students to support CNS and Department ARC sites.

• Health and Human Services (HHS). Coordinate reading publications development and dissemination; outreach to early childhood caregivers (Head Start and Resource and Referral Network); and community collaboration of HHS and Department funded activities for reading and early childhood.

• National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Coordinate support of NAS Study on At-Risk Reading and dissemination and outreach of NAS research findings.

• National Institute of Health (NICHD). Collaborate with NICHD on a five year study on acquisition of English and the teaching and learning of reading. ED grants will be awarded that model NICHD research for the learning disabled population.

• U.S. Department of Justice. Collaborate with Justice's Weed and Seed Program to train program directors in using Weed and Seed sites as Challenge extended learning settings; and to provide materials for reading to Weed and Seed sites.

• U.S. Army. Collaborate with the Army to train staff directors to use ARC: READ*WRITE*NOW! interventions and material in Army extended learning programs.

• Bureau of Indian Affairs. Coordinate with the Bureau of Indian Affairs schools to encourage extended learning in reading programs that support the Challenge.

Programs supporting this objective

Selected performance indicators and charts

Increasing percentages of fourth-graders will meet basic, proficient, and advanced levels in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). (Goal 2, indicator 4)

Indicator background and context. Over the last 30 years, NAEP scores for fourth graders have been relatively stable (60% at basic or higher levels).

Data source. NAEP (1994-present)

By 2002, one million volunteer tutors are trained and working in community reading programs.

Indicator background and context. In 1997, about 500,000 volunteer tutors were trained and working in community ARC reading programs.

Data source. U. S. Department of Education, Office of America Reads Challenge: READ*WRITE*NOW!.

Verification/validation of performance measures: Student reading outcomes use the rigorously designed National Assessment of Education Progress. Information on the training of reading teachers will be from an independently conducted evaluation of Title I schools. Tutor numbers and quality will be obtained from independent evaluations of college student participation in Federal Work Study and of tutors in the America Reads Challenge.

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[Objective 2.1]

[Objective 2.3]