No Child Left Behind - Title I-B1: Reading First State Grants
What is Reading First?
• Reading First provides assistance to states and school districts to establish scientifically based reading programs in kindergarten through third grade (K-3) classrooms, to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.
• Reading First provides increased teacher professional development to ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to teach scientifically based instructional programs and to use screening, diagnostic, and classroom-based assessments to measure where students are and to monitor their progress.
What is a scientifically based reading program?
• Research has shown that the five essential components of effective reading instruction are:
→ Phonemic Awareness
→ Phonics
→ Vocabulary
→ Reading Fluency
→ Reading Comprehension
How is Reading First funding distributed to schools?
• Reading First is a formula grant program to states based on the number of children between the ages of 5 to 17 who come from families below the poverty line.
• Eligible school districts are those in each state with the highest numbers or percentages of K-3 students reading below grade level, and include an empowerment or enterprise zone, have a significant number of schools identified for Title I improvement, or have the highest number or percentages of Title I children. States competitively award sub-grants to districts, with priority given to districts that have at least 15 percent of students from families with incomes below poverty or at least 6,500 poor children.
How can schools use Reading First funding?
• Funding may be used for:
→ Professional development to train teachers in the essential components of reading
→ The purchase of scientifically based instructional reading materials that support the essential components of reading, leading to a comprehensive reading program
→ Selection and administration of screening, diagnostic and classroom-based instructional reading assessments to identify those children who may be at risk of reading failure
• Reading First provides assistance to states and school districts to establish scientifically based reading programs in kindergarten through third grade (K-3) classrooms, to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.
• Reading First provides increased teacher professional development to ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to teach scientifically based instructional programs and to use screening, diagnostic, and classroom-based assessments to measure where students are and to monitor their progress.
What is a scientifically based reading program?
• Research has shown that the five essential components of effective reading instruction are:
→ Phonemic Awareness
→ Phonics
→ Vocabulary
→ Reading Fluency
→ Reading Comprehension
How is Reading First funding distributed to schools?
• Reading First is a formula grant program to states based on the number of children between the ages of 5 to 17 who come from families below the poverty line.
• Eligible school districts are those in each state with the highest numbers or percentages of K-3 students reading below grade level, and include an empowerment or enterprise zone, have a significant number of schools identified for Title I improvement, or have the highest number or percentages of Title I children. States competitively award sub-grants to districts, with priority given to districts that have at least 15 percent of students from families with incomes below poverty or at least 6,500 poor children.
How can schools use Reading First funding?
• Funding may be used for:
→ Professional development to train teachers in the essential components of reading
→ The purchase of scientifically based instructional reading materials that support the essential components of reading, leading to a comprehensive reading program
→ Selection and administration of screening, diagnostic and classroom-based instructional reading assessments to identify those children who may be at risk of reading failure
