For Immediate Release

September 28, 2006

Contact: Jay Diskey
Ph: (202) 220-4549
Email: jdiskey@publishers.org

Publishers Welcome Report, Recommendations on Reading First Implementation

The Association of American Publishers (AAP) welcomed the release of a report by the U.S. Department of Education’s Inspector General criticizing the implementation of Reading First and calling for substantive changes in the administration of the program. Reading First is a federal initiative designed to help schools, especially those serving low-income students, adopt the best practices and implement the most effective research-based reading programs to prevent or remediate reading failure.

In a statement issued today, AAP President and CEO Pat Schroeder said that the IG’s recommendations “will go a long way in correcting a number of problems with Reading First.” Mrs. Schroeder noted that AAP has expressed concern over the past four years about the lack of transparency and fairness in the process of reviewing and evaluating programs, a process which she said “failed to provide schools and school districts with flexibility in choosing from a variety of instructional programs.” The statements urges the Department of Education to move quickly to implement the recommendations and to follow the Department of Education Organization Act, which “prohibits Department officials from exercising any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum of program instruction of any educational institution, school, or school system."

The complete text of Mrs. Schroeder’s statement can be found at: http://www.publishers.org/SchoolDiv/

The Association of American Publishers is the national trade association of the U.S. book publishing industry. AAP’s more than 300 members include most of the major commercial publishers in the United States, as well as smaller and non-profit publishers, university presses and scholarly societies—small and large. AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field, educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional markets, scholarly journals, computer software, and electronic products and services. The protection of intellectual property rights in all media, the defense of the freedom to read and the freedom to publish at home and abroad, and the promotion of reading and literacy are among the Association’s highest priorities.

To view the 51-page Inspector General's Report click here

###