[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 141 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CLINTON'S READING PLAN

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                           HON. NEWT GINGRICH

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 1996

  Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to encourage my colleagues to read 
the following article which appeared in the Marietta Daily Journal 
September 15, 1996. As we look for ways to improve our country's 
schools, we would do well to listen to the advice of the teachers and 
parents who are working with the students every day. While the 
administration would like to simply spend more money on the wasteful 
education bureaucracy and curry favor with teachers unions, there is no 
substitute for individual help from teachers like Kay Vaughn who are 
working with children on a daily basis to teach them to read and write.

           [From the Marietta Daily Journal, Sept. 15, 1996]

       Local Teacher Says Clinton's Reading Plan Misses the Mark

                            (By Jamie Floer)

       President Bill Clinton's proposal to send Americorps 
     volunteers into the nation's schools to help teach children 
     to read by the third grade gets a failing mark from Cobb 
     educators.
       The president promised during his nomination acceptance 
     speech in August to emphasize reading performance when he 
     proclaimed that ``every student in America should be able to 
     read by the third grade.''
       But when professional reading teacher Kay Vaughn heard 
     about the idea, she knew better.
       Surrounded by a table of first-graders at Dunleith 
     Elementary School in Marietta, every day Ms. Vaughn teaches 
     students the skills they need to become literate, and she 
     contends the president's plan is not needed.
       ``We're really working on reading in kindergarten, first 
     and second grade. . . . They definitely know how to read by 
     third grade,'' she said. ``The earlier you get them started 
     the easier it is to break them of bad habits.''
       Sitting down to read an easy-reader book about a cat, 6-
     year-old Darius Alexander, the son of Frances and Lisa 
     Alexander of Marietta, just started first grade a few weeks 
     ago. ``Reading is my favorite thing to do,'' Darius said.
       Seeing the reading process click for students like Darius 
     and his classmates makes Ms. Vaughn's efforts worthwhile.
       Dunleith Principal Dr. Emily Lembeck said, ``We have a lot 
     of programs in place to support reading in our school.'' A 
     former first-grade teacher herself, Dr. Lembeck said grasping 
     the basics of reading is important and should definitely be 
     in place well before third grade.
       Dunleith uses innovative approaches such as the Partnership 
     in Literacy Program that began last year where volunteers 
     spend 15 minute a week listening to students read aloud.
       Throughout Marietta, at schools such as West Side and A.L. 
     Burruss, which was recognized last year with an international 
     award for reading, reading has long been a focus.
       Kelly Henson, assistant superintendent of the 6,000-student 
     school district, said the city system's approaches have 
     changed but the goal has remained the same--teach children to 
     read by the end of first grade.
       For three or four years the system used a one-on-one 
     program called Reading Recovery, which was funded federally.
       However, this school year the Early Intervention Reading 
     Program was put into place to expand the program and serve 
     more students. Under the new program school principals can 
     choose to continue with one-on-one instruction or use small 
     groups.
       ``It takes different shapes at every school depending on 
     the needs. . . . We tried to take some of the restrictions 
     off,'' Henson said.
       Henson estimated that 99 percent of the students in 
     Marietta City Schools know how to read by the third grade, 
     except for a few students who speak a foreign language and 
     students with extreme learning difficulties.
       ``Most of our students are reading easily in the first 
     grade,'' Henson added.

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