Reading First is the signature program of No Child Left Behind legislation, with all 50 states and the District of Columbia participating. The US Department of Education recently released its interim report on the implementation of the Reading First program throughout the country's elementary schools. Throughout the next six months, Hezel Associates will provide essential highlights in Strategies from this report.
In this first article, we will focus upon the report's description of funding to Reading First programs.
Reading First Distribution of Funds
Reading First schools, the interim report suggests, receive considerable funding to improve students' reading achievement.
In 2006, the Department of Education distributed $1.029 billion in Reading First state grants.The median state grant to schools is $138,000 per school year. Eighty-one percent of awards are between $50,000 and $299,999. The range of awards is $2000 to $854,000. Schools typically receive these funds for each of three years or more.
External Reading First Funds
Citing data collected from principals in schools with a Reading First program, the interim reports suggests that Reading First schools receive funding from about five sources on average, including Title I, district general funds, state funds, professional development funds, Titles II & III and private grants. This funding is used for a number of Reading First-related reasons including the selection and purchase of instructional programs, for the diagnostic needs of struggling readers, conducting demonstration lessons, and reviewing the effectiveness of reading programs.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Reading First Implementation Evaluation: Interim Report
In a recently awarded project, Hezel Associates will assist Abt Associates on the continued evaluation of nationwide Reading First implementation.
Read the DOE's Executive Summary and report here: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/other/readingfirst-interim/readingfirst.pdf
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