Photo Acting Deputy Secretary Hickok Visits Cleveland Elementary School in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The District of Columbia will receive $4.7 million in federal reading grant funds to help schools improve children's reading achievement through scientifically proven methods of instruction, Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced today.

In total, over six years, Washington, D.C. is set to receive approximately $14.4 million in Reading First funds, subject to the city's successful implementation and congressional appropriations.

On behalf of Secretary Paige, Acting Deputy Secretary Eugene W. Hickok joined Washington D.C. Public Schools Superintendent Paul Vance for a visit to the Cleveland Elementary School.

The Reading First program is the centerpiece of President Bush's sweeping education reform law, the No Child Left Behind Act. Studies show that when children fail to learn how to read during their early school years, every aspect of school success is affected. Academic achievement can be enhanced through early diagnosis.

"Reading is the foundation of all learning," Hickok said. "A child who can read is a child who can succeed in school and in life. That is why President Bush launched the Reading First initiative to improve all children's reading achievement.

"By designing instruction around scientifically proven methods, Washington, D.C. will help ensure that all children learn to read by the end of the third grade, which we know is the most critical time to acquire these skills."

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

Washington, D.C. plans to give the bulk of the funds to eligible schools in January 2004. As part of its professional development plan, the city will use the Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) program to train all K-3 teachers, reading teachers and administrators in reading instruction based on scientific reading research. The training will focus on the essential components of reading instruction, and the foundational concepts that link these components. 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 Reading First program reflects President Bush's emphasis on the importance of reading. It was designed 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.
• Supplying substantial resources to support the unprecedented initiative.

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

Paige has announced awards to Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

A list of estimated state grants for FY 2002-2004 (under President Bush's budget request) is available at: www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/statetables/index.html

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NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about Washington, D.C.'s Reading First program, please contact Dr. Robert Rice at 202-442-5150.

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