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

                 FOR RELEASE                                         Contact:         Stephanie Babyak (202) 401-1576      May 9, 1997       Jane Glickman (202) 401-1576 

More than 165 colleges and universities have joined the call to enlist 100,000 Federal Work Study (FWS) students to help children read.

The work study students will be part of the America Reads Challenge, a national effort to mobilize one million volunteer reading tutors over five years. Colleges have been asked to help by voluntarily dedicating half of this year's FWS funding increase to students who want to serve as reading tutors. Authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965, FWS helps postsecondary institutions provide on and off campus part time employment so that students can meet education costs.

"This program is a winner two times over: students can earn money for college while they tutor elementary school children to read," said U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley. "We're pleased to receive the colleges' help to get this critical first phase of the America Reads initiative underway."

Last year, President Clinton called for a significant expansion of FWS, and as part of the FY 1997 budget, Congress approved an increase of 35 percent, from $616.5 million to $830 million. In March, approximately 3,300 colleges and universities received their FWS allotments, creating thousands of new jobs on campus and in community service activities for some 945,000 eligible college students, an increase of 232,000 over last year.

Research shows that 40 percent of America's fourth graders cannot read as well as they should. Reading proficiently at this level is critical if children are to master increasingly demanding academic subjects in later grades. Research also shows that children who cannot read Research shows that 40 percent of America's fourth graders cannot read as well as they should. Reading proficiently at this level is critical if children are to master increasingly by the fourth grade have higher dropout rates and exhibit increased delinquent behavior.

To address the problem, President Clinton proposed to Congress the America Reads Challenge, a 5 year, $2.75 billion initiative to ensure that every American child can read well and independently by the end of the 3rd grade. The work study students will assist in this effort. In addition, thousands of parents, teachers, concerned citizens, schools, youth groups, and literacy organizations are needed to help.

Generally, the federal government provides a 75 percent share of FWS funding; institutions and participating employers contribute a 25 percent match. To encourage participation in the reading initiative, the department has waived the matching fund requirement for students serving as reading tutors for children in pre Kindergarten through elementary school.

"These college students will bring the kind of enthusiasm and dedication we need at the grassroots level to sustain a national effort that reaches millions of children," said Carol Rasco, director of the America Reads Challenge. The FWS tutors will work with teachers, community organizations and families to provide reading assistance in class, after school, on weekends or during the summer.

"With the help of colleges and their students, we can improve reading skills one child at a time to make us a nation of readers," Riley said. "This is a great challenge. But the students will find it rewarding work to share with America's children the joy of reading so that these children, in turn, can succeed in school and in life. "

NOTE TO EDITORS: A list of participating colleges is available upon request.

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