PORTLAND, Maine -- The U.S. Department of Education today announced that the state of Maine will receive $2.6 million for the first year of a multi-year Reading First Grant to help schools and districts improve children's reading achievement through scientifically proven methods of instruction. In total, over six years, the state will receive approximately $19.9 million in Reading First funds, subject to the state's successful implementation and congressional appropriations.

On behalf of Secretary of Education Rod Paige, Ron Tomalis, chief of staff to the under secretary of education, made the announcement today at Harrison Lyseth Elementary School in Portland. Tomalis was joined by U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and Maine Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Patrick Phillips.

"Reading provides the building blocks for a high-quality education and a successful life," Tomalis said. "The basic elements of Reading first are clear: diagnose and address reading difficulties early; base instruction on what works; give teachers the training they need; constantly assess progress; and develop a state infrastructure to see it through.

"By designing instruction around scientific evidence, including the five essential components of proven reading instruction," Tomalis added, "Maine and other states will help ensure that all children learn to read by the end of the third grade."

Maine's application passed a rigorous review panel that judged the plan against 25 main review criteria. The grant will support key improvements in classroom reading instruction, including teaching based on research that shows what works, early identification and help for reading difficulties, monitoring student progress and continuous, high-quality professional development for teachers.

Maine plans to use about $2 million of the grant to make subgrant awards to approximately 12 schools in eligible districts later this summer. As part of its professional development plan, the state will offer a 16-session Reading First course to K-3 educators, K-12 special educators, literacy specialists, literacy support personnel and administrators. The course will provide training in the five essential components of reading instruction and explicit strategies for reading instruction that are based on scientific research that shows what works. The state will closely monitor the progress of schools and districts participating in Reading First and will conduct an ongoing evaluation of its program.

The Maine Department of Education will integrate Reading First with its statewide infrastructure for improvement of early literacy. The governor, in consultation with the commissioner of education, has convened a Reading Leadership Team to ensure a seamless, complementary approach to reading achievement throughout the state.

One of President Bush's first actions after taking office was to make improving children's reading achievement a centerpiece of his education reform agenda. Studies show that when children fail to learn to read early in school, every aspect of school success is affected. Academic achievement can be enhanced through early diagnosis.

The president designed Reading First around an extensive knowledge base of the essential skills children must have to learn to read. The program reflects the findings of a congressionally mandated extensive review of scientifically based research on how students learn to read, completed by the National Reading Panel in 2000.

Reading First was passed into law by a bipartisan majority of Congress under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and centers on the following priorities:

• raising the caliber and quality of classroom instruction;
• basing instruction on scientifically proven methods;
• providing professional training for educators in reading instruction; and
• supplying substantial resources to support the unprecedented initiative.

State applications undergo a rigorous review by a panel of reading experts, selected by the U.S. Secretary of Education, the National Institute for Literacy, the National Research Council and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Successful states will receive funds under a formula.

Paige has announced awards to Alabama, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

A list of estimated state grants for FY 2002, FY 2003 and under President Bush's budget request for FY2004 is available at: http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html

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NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about Maine's Reading First, contact Patrick O'Shea at (207) 624-6717.

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