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

The Reading Excellence Act was authorized to carry out the following purposes:

• 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.

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. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) shows serious deficiencies in children's ability to read. Even in wealthier schools, almost a quarter of fourth-graders are unable to reach NAEP's basic level. More than two-thirds of fourth-graders in high poverty schools are unable to reach the basic level.

The Act authorizes competitive Reading and Literacy Grants to state education agencies, which in turn distribute the funding to eligible local education agencies through a competitive process.

Only selected districts and schools are eligible for Local Reading Improvement (LRI) subgrants. Basically the intent of the Act is to provide funds to very needy districts and schools. The state education agency holds a competition for two-year subgrants among the following districts:

• Title I school improvement status. All districts that have at least one school identified for school improvement under section 1116(c) of Title I, ESEA. (ED's Title I office approves which schools are in school improvement. The main criterion is that a
• Title I school is identified for school improvement if for two consecutive years it has failed to make adequate progress in meeting the state's student performance standards, as defined in the state's plan.)
• High poverty numbers. The two districts with the largest or second largest number of children in the state counted for the Title I formula under section 1124(c).
• High poverty rate. The two districts with the highest or second highest poverty rate of school-age children in comparison to other LEAs in the state.

In turn, successful districts allocate funding to some or all of the schools that are in Title I school improvement status, have the highest or second highest number of poor children in the LEA, or have the highest or second highest percent of poor children in the LEA.

States must allow all eligible districts to compete for the funding. The SEA may place some limits on the percent of schools that can be served or can add criteria such as priority for schools that have greater need or have fewer resources from outside grants. Districts need not select every eligible school and may select from among those eligible, taking into account local needs. However, the SEA's review will assess the district's choices.

Uses of Funds

The LRI subgrants provide support to local educational agencies to advance reform of reading instruction in participating schools. This must include, among other activities:

• improving the reading instruction practice of teachers and other instructional staff through professional development based on scientifically based reading research,
• carrying out family literacy services (e.g., parent and child interactive activities, early childhood education, adult training, and parent education), and
• providing early literacy intervention to children experiencing reading difficulties, including kindergarten transition programs.

Key features include the requirements that the LEA will base the project's activities on scientifically based reading research and will enter into an agreement with experts on the particular reading approaches being implemented.

Also, the LEA must form a partnership with one or more community-based organizations of demonstrated effectiveness in early childhood literacy and reading readiness, reading instruction, and reading achievement in carrying out the project's activities, or describe why such a partnership is not feasible.

The funds may be used for the following activities, all of which must be provided, although not necessarily with REA funds:

• Research-based reading instruction in grades K-3
• Reading instruction to children with reading difficulties
• High quality professional development for classroom teachers and other instructional staff
• Curriculum and supportive materials
• Tutoring and other reading support services during non-instructional time
• Training for tutors
• Kindergarten transition
• Family literacy services (parent and child interactive activities, early childhood education, adult literacy, and parenting education)
• Parent training to help their children with reading
• Technical assistance
• Promotion of reading and library programs that provide access to engaging reading materials
• Coordination of local reading, library, and literacy programs and others supported by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Administrative costs

Key Principles in the Reading Excellence Act

The Reading Excellence Act's definition of reading, which must be used by all schools that implement reading strategies under REA, is as follows:

"The term 'reading' means a complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following:

1. The skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes, or speech sounds, are connected to print.
2. The ability to decode unfamiliar words.
3. The ability to read fluently.
4. Sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension.
5. The development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print.
6. The development and maintenance of a motivation to read." Section 2252 (4)

Use of rigorous research when selecting reading instruction content and strategies The REA requires that reading instruction be based on scientifically based reading research and includes a definition of this as follows:

"The term 'scientifically based reading research'

(A) Means the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain valid knowledge relevant to reading development, reading instruction, and reading difficulties.

(B) Shall include research that-

1. Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;
2. Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
3. Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide valid data across evaluators and observers, and across multiple measurements and observations; and
4. Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparatively rigorous, objective, and scientific review." Section 2252 (5)

This does not require selection of specific program models. In fact, most funded grantees in FY 1999 did not propose to select comprehensive models developed by others. Instead, funded states, districts, and schools will assess the reading research and identify specific content and instructional strategies to implement in grades K-3, with supporting family literacy activities for preschool and early elementary grades.

To contact the Reading Excellence Act Program, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), call (202) 260-3710 or e:mail reading.excellence@ed.gov.

Page last updated on June 4, 2003 (sbw)