NRRF - About Reading First

Reading First, and its companion Early Reading First, is new federal legislation designed to address the reading deficit. They became law when President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act on January 8, 2002. Reading First is a six-year, six-billion-dollar program that provides grants to states to target their most disadvantaged school districts with funds to pay for professional development for reading teachers, instructional materials, and assessment tools, all of which must be based upon the findings of Scientifically-Based Reading Research. This is "one for the children" and all America will benefit.

Read the legislation: Reading First and Early Reading First.

Is Reading First supported by research?

Yes, Reading First relies on the findings of The National Reading Panel, which determined that effective reading programs must be based on Scientifically Based Reading Research (SSBR). Read the panel's findings:

National Reading Panel reports combination of teaching phonics, word sounds, giving feedback on oral reading most effective way to teach reading - NIH News Release, April 13, 2000

Reading First success stories

The first success stories are arriving showing that Reading First is improving reading instruction.

Reading First Success Report Comes In - 6/04

Related Reading First articles

A Sea Change...or...Just Rearranging the Chairs? - Robert W. Sweet, Jr., 8/11/04

Dept. of Education to Hike Oversight of Reading Grants - Education Week 11/13/02

President Promotes Reading First Program in Florida - Office of the Press Secretary, 10/17/02

Insisting on Reading Results for Our Children - Cleveland Plain Dealer, 10/2/02

Which states have received Reading First grants?

Reading First State Grant Awards Chart

How are states implementing Reading First?

Find out the news from your state.

The National Right to Read Foundation
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