[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 56 (Monday, May 5, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ``AMERICA READS CHALLENGE ACT OF 
                                 1997''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 1997

  Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the America Reads 
Challenge Act of 1997, on behalf of President Clinton. This Act will 
help mobilize trained volunteers reading tutors and skilled reading 
specialists to ensure that every student can read by the end of the 3d 
grade. Over 5 years, the bill commits over $2.75 billion to local 
communities for after-school, summer, and weekend tutoring in reading.
  Specifically, this Act would fund 25,000 reading specialists and 
tutor coordinators to mobilize one million volunteer reading tutors. 
The program will serve areas with a high number or percentage of low 
income families, or areas with the greatest need for reading 
assistance. The program will be coordinated with existing early 
childhood and family literacy programs, such as Even Start and Head 
Start.
  The program is designed to build on and support in-school reading 
programs, with a special emphasis on strong parental involvement. The 
bill provides for the Parents as First Teachers Challenge Grants that 
would provide $300 million to help parents help their children read 
well.
  It is well documented that children who cannot read well by the end 
of third grade are more likely to drop out, and are less likely to 
succeed in school. Some 40 percent of our fourth graders scored below 
the basic level on recent national tests. The America Reads Challenge 
Act of 1997 will allow communities to create well-designed tutoring 
programs that will significantly improve student reading skills.

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