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

For Release:
July 26, 2000

News Media Contact:
Melinda Malico
(202) 401-1008
REA Program Office: (202) 260-8228

$198.4 MILLION IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE CHILDREN'S READING

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley today announced the award of $198.4 million in grants to help improve the reading skills of pre-kindergarten through third-grade children. The grants, under the Reading Excellence Act (REA) program, will help nine states and Washington, D.C., use scientifically based reading research to improve the reading skills of up to 1 million elementary school students - particularly at-risk students - during the critical grades of kindergarten through grade three.

"These grants, which complement my Administration's investments in smaller class size and expanded access to Head Start, will help achieve our goal of enabling every child to read independently by the end of third grade," said President Clinton.

"There is no mystery to teaching young children to read - we know from major research studies what works," Riley said. "A balanced approach combining systematic instruction in letter-sound relationships and decoding skills, wide exposure to reading materials and development of children's reading comprehension strategies is critical. This is the key to quality instruction."

The REA program is designed to provide children with the readiness skills and support they need to learn to read when they enter school and to help each child learn to read well and independently by the end of third grade. Schools receiving grants are expected to help teachers use a balanced reading approach based on research; provide early intervention, such as one-on-one tutoring for children who have trouble learning to read; and organize family literacy programs for parents to support their children's learning to read.

States competed for the three-year grants by creating plans for improving reading in the primary grades. The states will now run grant competitions for eligible local school districts. The REA grant program concentrates support in high-poverty districts. Districts may use the funds for teacher professional development, purchase of resources and reading materials, and tutoring and summer programs.

A panel of 20 nationally known experts in reading, research and school reform evaluated the applications. The Education Department (ED), the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute for Literacy, and the National Academy of Sciences nominated the panel members.

The research focus for the grants is supported by two significant reports on what works in teaching reading. The National Research Council's 1998 report, Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children, outlined proven strategies for teaching reading to young children and preparing pre-kindergarten children to learn to read. In April, the National Reading Panel, convened by NICHD and ED, produced Teaching Children to Read, which updated the earlier report's findings and provides guidance on how to teach critical reading skills.

The 10 states and jurisdictions that received grants this year are California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Virginia and Washington.

NOTE TO EDITORS: A summary of state proposals is available at www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/REA/awardees.html. Following is a list of state contacts and awards.

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