# Presentation: 695192

## Archived Information

- This information in this presentation is archived for historical and reference purposes only.

## THE READING EXCELLENCE PROGRAM 

**Presentation to the **
**International Reading Association by**
**Joseph Conaty **
**Director, Reading Excellence Program**
**May 3, 1999**

## Reading Research Summary

***Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children*****  **
**Catherine E. Snow, M. Susan Burns, and Peg Griffin, Editors **
**National Research Council, 1998**

## National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

***National Assessment of Educational Progress ******(NAEP)***

***4th Grade Reading, 1998***

## Funding for FY 1999

**Appropriation ****	****	****	****$260.0 m**
**National evaluation****	****	**** -    3.9 m**
**National Institute for              -    5.0 m **
** ****	**** ****Literacy ****	****	****	****	**** ****	**** **
**Even Start       ****	****	****	**** -  10.0 m****	**
**_________________________________**
**State Grants****	****	****	****	****$241.1 m**

## Reading Excellence ActPurpose

**Teach every child to read by the end of third grade.**
**Provide children in early childhood with the readiness skills and support they need to learn to read once they enter school.**
**Expand the number of high quality family literacy programs.**
**Provide early intervention to children who are at risk of being identified for special education inappropriately.**
**Base instruction, including tutoring, on scientifically-based reading research.**

## Primary Activities

**Professional development**
**Tutoring**
**Family literacy**
**Transition programs for kindergartners**

## Key Definitions

**READING**
**The skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes, or speech sounds, are connected to print.**
**The ability to decode unfamiliar words.**
**The ability to read fluently.**
**Sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension.**
**The development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print.**
**The development and**** maintenance of a motivation to read.**

## SCIENTIFICALLY BASED READING RESEARCH
means the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties.
Includes research that
employs systematic, empirical methods that drawn on observation or experiment;
involves rigorous data analyses;
relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data;
has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts.

**means the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties.**
**Includes research that**
**employs systematic, empirical methods that drawn on observation or experiment;**
**involves rigorous data analyses;**
**relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data;**
**has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts.**

***Key Definitions***

## Grant Awards

**Grants will be competitively awarded to States that have established state-wide literacy partnerships.**
**The States will then run two grant competitions:**
**local reading improvement grants**
**tutorial assistance grants**

## State Reading and Literacy Partnerships

**    ****States must establish a partnership with at least the following members:**
- Governor of State
- Chief State school officer
- State legislature representatives
- Local educational agency representative
- Community-based organization representative
- State directors of Federal/State reading programs
- Parent
- Teacher
- Family literacy service provider

## REA Timeline

**ED holds competition for **
**grants to states, May-June 1999**

**Successful states receive awards, July 1999**

**States hold competition for subgrants to school districts (summer - fall 1999)**
**     ****-- Local Reading Improvement subgrants**
**     ****-- Tutorial Assistance subgrants**

**LEAs and schools begin two-year subgrants (winter - summer 2000)**

## SEA Activities

**Research based reading instruction**
**Professional development **
**Parent participation**
**Program coordination**
**Promoting reading and library programs**
**Public notices**
**Program evaluation**

## Local Reading Improvement Subgrants: Eligible Districts & Schools

**The two districts with the first & second highest percentages of poor children**

**Has at least one school in Title I school improvement status**

**The two districts with the first & second highest number of poor children**

** ****DISTRICTS (all below are eligible)**

## Local Reading Improvement Subgrants

***	******LEA activities:***
**Reading instruction**
**High quality professional development in research-based reading instruction**
**Voluntary parent training to help their children with reading**
**Extended learning opportunities (e.g., tutoring, summer programs)**
**Training for tutors**
**Family literacy services**
**Kindergarten transition programs**
**Curriculum and supporting materials **

## Tutorial Assistance Subgrants - Eligible Districts & Schools

**Has at least one **_**school in an enterprise community**_

***Tutorial Assistance Subgrants - Eligible Districts & Schools***

**Has either the highest or second **_**highest percentage of poor children**_

**Has at least one **_**school in Title I school improvement**_** status**

**Has either the highest or second highest **_**number of poor children**_

**Eligible districts (all five are eligible)**

_**Title I school improvement**_** status**

**First or second highest **_**numbers of poor children**_

**First or second highest **_**percentage of poor children**_

**In **_**empowerment zone**_** or **_**enterprise community**_

**Eligible schools (all five types are eligible)**

## Tutorial Assistance Subgrants

***	******LEA activities:***
**Provide or contract for tutorial assistance in reading to children having difficulty in reading.**
**Before or after school, on weekends, or during the summer.**
**Ensure that the tutoring is based on scientifically-based reading research and that it is consistent with the school curriculum.**
**Provide multiple choices for parents. Must include a school-based program and at least one independent provider under contract to the LEA.**

## Reading ExcellenceContact Information

- <date/time>

**Reading Excellence****Contact Information**

**   ****U.S. Department of Education                        -- Reading Excellence Team**
**phone:  (202) 260-8228**
**fax:  (202) 260-8969**
**e-mail:  reading_excellence@ed.gov**
***REA***** website:  http://ed.gov/offices/OESE/REA/**
***America Reads Challenge***** website: http://ed.gov/inits/americareads/**