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Reading First
The documents excerpted below comprise a cumulative body of evidence that supports Sara Jordan products as eligible for Reading First literacy programs.
Sources include:
- No Child Left Behind Act
- Conference Committee Report for HR1 No Child Left Behind Act
- USDE Reading Leadership Academy materials
- Congressional testimony by USDE Undersecretary Gene Hickok
- Other Federal policy related to literacy
No Child Left Behind Act
The Reading First program requires both state and local educational agencies to integrate early intervention into instruction and professional development activities. Excerpts from the act include:
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Sec. 1203 (b): “A
[state] application under this section shall contain…(4) a
State educational agency plan containing a description of…(B) How the State
educational agency will assist local educational agencies in identifying instructional materials, programs, strategies, and approaches, based on scientifically based reading research, including early intervention [italics added] and reading remediation materials, programs, and approaches.” - Sec. 1202(d)(3): “A
State educational agency that receives a grant under this
section may expend not more than 20 percent of the grant funds…(3)(A) to
develop and implement a program of professional development for teachers
that (ii)…shall include (I) information on instructional materials, programs,
strategies, and approaches, based on scientifically based reading research,
including early intervention [italics added] and reading remediation materials, programs, and approaches.” - Sec. 1202(c)(7): “…An eligible local educational agency that receives a subgrant under this section shall use the funds provided under the subgrant to carry out the following activities…(iv) Providing professional development for teachers…that (II) shall include (aa) information on instructional materials, programs, strategies, and approaches, based on scientifically based reading research, including early intervention [italics added] and reading remediation materials, programs, and approaches.”
References:
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Public Law 107-110, Title I, Part B, Subpart 1,Government Printing Office.
- Wilson, K.G., & Daviss, B. (1994). Redesigning education. New York: Teacher’s College Press.
Congressional Intent and Reading First
The Conference Committee Report for HR1 No Child Left Behind Act states unequivocally that “The Conferees intend State educational agencies and local educational agencies to be able to select from a wide variety of quality programs and interventions to fund under Reading First and Early Reading First, including small group and one to one instruction, so long as those programs are based in research meeting the criteria in the definition of scientifically based reading research.” [italics added]
Reference:
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Conference Report to Accompany HR 1, Government Printing Office, printed December 13, 2001, p. 768.
USDE Reading Leadership Academies
The Reading Programs section of the academy presentation categorizes three types of reading instruction to be evaluated under Reading First: (a) comprehensive, (b) supplemental, and (c) intervention. The purpose of intervention reading programs is to “provide additional instruction to students performing below grade level,” and can be either “stand-alone intervention programs” or “in-program intervention program (components of comprehensive reading programs).” The presentation also stated “Reading programs work best when implementation of the reading program is linked to: effective instruction, assessment, professional development, and instructional leadership.”
Reference:
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Reading Leadership Academy PowerPoint presentation, U.S. Department of Education, 2002.
Congressional Testimony
In June 2002, Undersecretary Gene Hickok testified before the U. S.
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. In
response to Senator Susan M. Collins’ question “Is there
anything in the guidance that the department has given so far that
would preclude funding for [early reading intervention] programs?”
he responded, “No, there is not.…Our only goal is to make
sure that whatever is being done at the State and local levels results
in students being able to read by grade 3.…The goal would be
preventative programs so the need for intervention and remediation
is limited, but that does not mean that [a specific program] or any
other successful program that has got the science and can demonstrate
it in an application cannot be part of this.”
Reference:
-
Implementation of Reading Programs and Strategies, Hearing Before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, United States Senate, Government Printing Office, S. Hrg. 107-517, p.10.
Other Federal Policy Related to Literacy Instruction and Reading Intervention
The No Child Left Behind Act contains many provisions to assure that at-risk and low-income children receive instructional assistance particularly in Title I, Part A (Improving Basic Programs Operated by Local Educational Agencies). For example
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Schools providing targeted assistance with Title I funds must provide “services to eligible children…identified as having the greatest need for special assistance.”
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School-wide assistance provided with Title I funds must include “effective, timely additional assistance which shall include measures to ensure that students’ difficulties are identified on a timely basis and to provide sufficient information on which to base effective assistance.” This is often referred to as the safety net requirement (Title I, Part A, Sec. 1114 (b)(1)(I)).
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Both targeted and school-wide Title I programs must provide instruction by highly qualified teachers, and funds may be used for professional development to accomplish this (Title I, Part A, Sec. 1114, (b)(1)(C) and Title I, part A, Sec. 1115 (c)(1)(E)).
Reference:
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The No Child Left Behind Act.