Comments on: Why trust states? http://www.garyfeng.com/wordpress/2008/05/03/why-trust-states/ 如 影 随 行 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:22:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.2 by: gary http://www.garyfeng.com/wordpress/2008/05/03/why-trust-states/#comment-132044 Mon, 05 May 2008 18:16:10 +0000 http://www.garyfeng.com/wordpress/2008/05/03/why-trust-states/#comment-132044 Here's an editorial today from telegram.com http://www.telegram.com/article/20080505/NEWS/805050317/1020 Article published May 5, 2008 May 5, 2008 The last chapter for federal ‘Reading First’ program EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE The latest chapter in the federal government’s Reading First program — part of No Child Left Behind — is a short one: It doesn’t work. That’s the conclusion of the Department of Education, which found that the billion-dollar-a-year initiative has failed to raise reading levels of elementary school students. The DOE found reading achievement at funded schools was no better than in schools that were not funded. Putting the federal government in charge of a reading program was a poor use of taxpayer funds from the start. Reading First spent millions on teaching pompously styled “Scientifically Based Reading Research.” Countless generations have learned to read under the guidance of teachers armed with little more than a phonics book and a healthy dose of patience. Even a 2006 DOE interim report mustered only faint praise for the program. The negative assessment was greeted by one lawmaker with a call to restore funding for Reading First. We have a better idea. Stop wasting federal dollars on what local boards of education and parents should do for themselves. The next page for Reading First should read “The End.” Order the Telegram & Gazette, delivered daily to your home or office! www.telegram.com/homedelivery Copyright 2008 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp. Here’s an editorial today from telegram.com

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080505/NEWS/805050317/1020

Article published May 5, 2008
May 5, 2008

The last chapter for federal ‘Reading First’ program

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE

The latest chapter in the federal government’s Reading First program — part of No Child Left Behind — is a short one: It doesn’t work.

That’s the conclusion of the Department of Education, which found that the billion-dollar-a-year initiative has failed to raise reading levels of elementary school students. The DOE found reading achievement at funded schools was no better than in schools that were not funded.

Putting the federal government in charge of a reading program was a poor use of taxpayer funds from the start. Reading First spent millions on teaching pompously styled “Scientifically Based Reading Research.” Countless generations have learned to read under the guidance of teachers armed with little more than a phonics book and a healthy dose of patience. Even a 2006 DOE interim report mustered only faint praise for the program.

The negative assessment was greeted by one lawmaker with a call to restore funding for Reading First. We have a better idea. Stop wasting federal dollars on what local boards of education and parents should do for themselves. The next page for Reading First should read “The End.”

Order the Telegram & Gazette, delivered daily to your home or office! www.telegram.com/homedelivery Copyright 2008 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.

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