As part of the U.S. Department of Education??s efforts to equip states with the information and resources they need to implement the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced that he will host policymakers and key education leaders from every state and territory in the nation at three Reading Leadership Academies.

The Secretary's Reading Leadership Academies are designed to help state leaders gear up for swift and successful implementation of Reading First, President Bush's program for putting research-based reading programs in every classroom in America. Reading First was created through the new No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and will receive $900 million in support this year's three times the federal investment in K-3 reading instruction last year.

"Our Reading Leadership Academies will help engage states and districts as partners in the Reading First Program," said Paige. "Our goal is to improve all students' reading achievement, because reading is the foundation of all learning. We'll help states get started on teaching reading based on proven methods, which is critical to realizing President Bush's goal of leaving no child behind. There is no time to waste and these academies will give states and districts the tools they need to hit the ground running."

Susan Neuman, assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education, other Department of Education officials and top researchers from leading research institutions will make presentations and lead in-depth discussions with participants on teaching reading based on scientific research.

Secretary Paige invited governors and chief state school officers in each state to send a team to Washington for one of the academies. He suggested the teams include policy advisers and elected or appointed officers who direct education policy and programs at the state level. The academies will take place in Washington, D.C., Jan. 23-25, Feb. 13-15 and 20-22, 2002.

Officials from Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming are expected to participate in the first academy.

The goals of the academies are to help states:

• Develop a knowledge base about scientifically based reading instruction;
• Build capacity to design and sustain professional development for teachers in scientifically based reading instruction;
• Acquire the knowledge and tools to implement the Reading First initiative; and,
• Partner with school districts and ED to improve reading achievement.

For more information about the strategies and skills involved in scientifically based reading instruction, read Put Reading First, available online at: http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1.html and http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first2.html. For more information about Reading First, go to the No Child Left Behind Web page at: www.ed.gov/nclb.

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