UPDATE AND INFORMATION NEWSLETTER
October 1, 1997
[ A Message from the Director | Register Today For San Diego Update And Recruitment Meeting | Read*write*now! Summer Wrap up Meeting | A Warm Welcome to Our New Members | Update on America Reads Challenge Legislation | Federal Work-study Meeting The Challenge | Spotlight on Coalition Members Meeting The Challenge | Let Us Share Your America Reads Challenge Activities | You Can Also Reach Us At...]
A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
I hope you're as excited as I am about our upcoming opportunities to get together in San Diego (Oct. 17), Dallas (Nov. 17) and Washington, DC, (Dec. 15). I am anxious to bring President's Coalition members up-to-date on the America Reads Challenge as well as encourage new organizations to join us in our efforts. I also look forward to hearing how your organization is working to support the initiative, and how you're partnering with other organizations to help ensure every child reads well and independently by the end of third grade. I hope to see you at one of the three meetings.
Carol H. Rasco
REGISTER TODAY FOR SAN DIEGO UPDATE AND RECRUITMENT MEETING
Time is running out to sign up for the October 17th briefing for President's Coalition members, their regional representatives, and potential new members.A sign-up form for the San Diego meeting is attached and includes all the information you'll need to make your plans plus a general letter of invitation that you can share with others you believe might want to join the President's Coalition. Please share this information and the letter with your regional members and any potential members you think might be interested in learning more about the President's Coalition and the America Reads Challenge, and encourage them to join us.
READ*WRITE*NOW! SUMMER WRAP UP MEETING
What an inspiring and motivational meeting we had on September 25th with site coordinators from the 14 Read*Write*Now! summer pilot programs. These dedicated child-literacy advocates met with America Reads Challenge and Title I staff members as well as representatives from many government agencies to share their successes, tell us how to improve and streamline the programs for next year, and offer insights into how to evaluate future projects.These enthusiastic men and women forged partnerships within their communities to serve more than 80,000 children identified as being at-risk of losing some of their reading skills during the summer break. The coordinators and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure that children participating in their programs received high-quality tutoring that would enable them to start the new school year ready to read! These programs will serve as models for our larger effort in 1998 to expand the America Reads Challenge Read*Write*Now! summer reading program to all 50 states.
A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS
Three new groups have joined our ranks including:
- Read From the Start - Missouri Humanities Council
- Ready To Learn Task Force - Woodman Park School
- WGBH-TV - Boston
Please encourage other organizations to join the America Reads Challenge effort by recruiting them to become members of the President's Coalition. Call (202) 401-8888 to let us know about prospective members you'd like us to contact.
UPDATE ON AMERICA READS CHALLENGE LEGISLATION
Last week, Representative Goodling (R-PA), Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, released a working copy of his proposed literacy bill entitled, "The Reading Excellence Act." The Act consists of two major grants: classroom teacher subgrants, and tutorial assistance grants. The classroom teacher subgrants would provide funds to local education agencies to fund professional development in reading for all teachers. The subgrants would also allow for extended learning time for reading, but would not emphasize an out-of- school component nor would they require this component. The tutorial assistance subgrants are voucher-like grants which would provide funds to local education agencies who would be required to compile a list of eligible tutoring programs. Parents would choose a program from the list in which they would like their child to participate. In turn, the school would reimburse the tutoring program on a per student basis.In addition to these two grants, the Act focuses on dissemination of reading research; an increase in funds for Even Start; and changing the America Reads Federal Work-Study (FW- S) component by making 50 percent of the new FW-S funds available through grants administered by the Secretary of Education rather than having funds disbursed to all colleges and universities participating in the FW-S financial aid program based on the current funding formula. It would also give certain elementary schools priority status, and expand the program to include family literacy programs. It would retain the waiver of the 25 percent matching funds.
The America Reads staff, along with the Department of Education's Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs, is working very closely with the Chairman's staff to develop a bill which provides a balanced approach to in-school reading programs and extended learning opportunities that emphasize both professional development and tutoring programs.
FEDERAL WORK-STUDY MEETING THE CHALLENGE
To date, 776 colleges and universities have signed up to support the America Reads Challenge through the Federal Work-Study program. And more are stepping up to meet the Challenge every week. As promised, here's a look at some interesting programs:"President Bill Clinton wants America to read. President Judith Ramaley expects the University of Vermont to lead." That's the way the University of Vermont's (UVM) president announced her institutions commitment to support the America Reads Challenge to "involve faculty, staff and students in an especially important form of community service, and to put their intellectual capital to especially good use." UVM's plans include a children's book drive being hosted by the Living/Learning Center during the month of October, and year-round involvement in tutoring with students participating at four different levels:
- Literacy tutors will help children learn to read and write;
- Literacy buddies will provide enrichment and motivation in reading and writing;
- Literacy support students will talk and read with young children in health center waiting rooms, and make literacy development information available to their parents;
- Literacy outreach assistants will coordinate literacy volunteers for Reach Out and Read organizations.
At San Francisco State University, a partnership has been established between the university and 12 elementary schools. Efforts coordinated by the Department of Elementary Education and the Office of Student Financial Aid have trained 78 Federal Work-Study. Tutors are working one-on-one with two children each for three hours a day, three days a week. A "special friend" program encourages tutors to eat lunch with their students, allowing for an additional half hour of extra attention each day. AmeriCorps VISTAs are coordinating San Francisco State and other volunteer tutors and family literacy efforts in the 12 schools. San Francisco State President Robert Corrigan chairs the Steering Committee of College Presidents for the America Reads Challenge.
Your community can benefit from partnerships like those showcased above. Visit our web site to see if the colleges and universities in your community are signed on to the America Reads Challenge. If not, recruit them! A form is posted at http://www.ed.gov/americareads/Newsletters/970917-3.html
Likewise, President's Coalition members can reach out within their communities to colleges and universities already participating in the America Reads Challenge through Federal Work-Study to support and enhance their efforts. Please contact the America Reads Challenge staff at (202) 401-8888 for further information.
SPOTLIGHT ON COALITION MEMBERS MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Hadassah has been a three-year supporter of the America Reads Challenge Read*Write*Now! program by printing the Partners Tutoring Program Guide, a 20-page booklet full of activities for assisting school-age children with their reading and writing skills. Hadassah has taken their commitment a step further this year by providing the guide to all of the 760 colleges and universities signed up for the Federal Work-Study component of the America Reads Challenge. Copies of the guide are available by calling Hadassah at (212) 303-8042.The YMCA of Greater New York's Virtual Y extended school day program focuses on literacy. The program was launched in 66 sites this September, and will serve at least 50 children at each site. The program will link elementary students with college students from 20 colleges and universities plus community volunteers who will offer tutoring and homework help. The program, a partnership between the Y, the New York City Board of Education, the United Way of New York City, and other sponsoring organizations, supports both the goals of the America Reads Challenge and the Chancellor Rudolph F. Crew's goal of early grade level reading. For more information about the Virtual Y program, contact Pamela Bayless at the YMCA, (212) 630-9627.
During October and November, The Benefactory will send an author or illustrator to each of the 14 America Reads Challenge Read*Write* Now! pilot sites to celebrate the success of their summer reading programs. The guest reader will share a Humane Society of the United States true story about animals. The "Fall Into Reading" tour's goal is to motivate ongoing storytelling programs that keep children reading all year long. The Benefactory sponsors a nationwide storytelling program which includes a storytelling kit that provides a lending library so children can follow along with the storyteller; hardcover books for storytellers; a storyteller's guide with tips for successful read-aloud events; masters for interactive follow-up activities; and take-home activity pages to involve parents. For more information about The Benefactory, please contact Judy Martin at (203) 255-7744, or e-mail benefactory@aol.com.
LET US SHARE YOUR AMERICA READS CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES
As you can tell from this and previous President's Coalition Updates, our goal is to share how our members are meeting the goals of the America Reads Challenge. Help us tell your story by mailing or faxing a brief synopsis of your activities to:
Billie Rollins
Coordinator for the President's
Coalition for the America Reads Challenge
600 Independence Ave., SW, Room 6123
Washington, DC 20202
Fax 202-401-0596
America_Reads_Challenge@ed.gov
The America Reads Challenge
(202) 401-8888 (phone) -- (202) 401-0596 (fax)
Toll free number for comments or ordering publications:
1-800-USA-LEARN or TDD 1-800-437-0833
Web site: http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads/
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