[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 138 (Tuesday, October 6, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11533-S11539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
READING EXCELLENCE ACT
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 404, H.R. 2614.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (H.R. 2614) to improve the reading and literacy
skills of children and families by improving in-service
instructional practices for teachers who teach reading, to
stimulate the development of more high-quality family
literacy programs, to support extended learning-time
opportunities for children, to ensure that children can read
well and independently not later than third grade, and for
other purposes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate
consideration of the bill?
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Labor and Human
Resources, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause
and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
TITLE I--PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN READING AND LITERACY
SEC. 101. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN READING AND LITERACY.
(a) In General.--Title II of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating parts C and D as parts D and E,
respectively; and
(2) by inserting after part B the following:
``PART C--PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN READING AND LITERACY
``SEC. 2251. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
``The Secretary is authorized to award grants to State
educational agencies for the improvement of teaching and
learning through sustained and intensive high quality
professional development activities in reading and literacy
at the State and local levels.
``SEC. 2252. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS.
``(a) Reservations.--From the amount available to carry out
this part for any fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve--
``(1) \1/2\ of 1 percent for the outlying areas, to be
distributed among the outlying areas on the basis of their
relative need for assistance under this part, as determined
by the Secretary; and
``(2) \1/2\ of 1 percent for the Secretary of the Interior
for programs under this part for professional development
activities for teachers, other staff, and administrators in
schools operated or funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
``(b) State Allotments.--The Secretary shall allot the
amount available to carry out this part and not reserved
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year to each of the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico as follows, except that no State shall receive
less than \1/2\ of 1 percent of such amount:
``(1) 50 percent shall be allotted among such jurisdictions
on the basis of their relative populations of individuals
aged 5 through 17, as determined by the Secretary on the
basis of the most recent satisfactory data.
[[Page S11534]]
``(2) 50 percent shall be allotted among such jurisdictions
in accordance with the relative amounts such jurisdictions
received under part A of title I for the preceding fiscal
year.
``(c) Reallotment.--If any jurisdiction does not apply for
an allotment under subsection (b) for any fiscal year, the
Secretary shall reallot the amount of the allotment to the
remaining jurisdictions in accordance with such subsection.
``SEC. 2253. WITHIN-STATE ALLOCATIONS.
``(a) Reservation.--From the amount made available to a
State under this part for any fiscal year, not more than 5
percent may be reserved for the administrative costs of the
State educational agency and to carry out State-level
activities described in section 2256(a).
``(b) Local Educational Agency Eligibility.--A State
educational agency shall award grants under this part for a
fiscal year to a local educational agency only if the number
of children, that are served by the local educational agency
and counted under section 1124(c) for the fiscal year, is
equal to or exceeds the lesser of--
``(1) 30 percent of the total number of children aged 5
through 17 served by the local educational agency for the
fiscal year; or
``(2) the total number of children aged 5 through 17 served
by the local educational agency for the fiscal year
multiplied by the result obtained from multiplying 1.5 by a
fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of
children in the State counted under section 1124(c) for the
fiscal year, and the denominator of which is the total number
of children aged 5 through 17 in the State for the fiscal
year.
``(c) Allocation.--A State educational agency shall
allocate funds made available under this part and not
reserved under subsection (a) for a fiscal year among local
educational agencies in the State that are described in
subsection (b), according to the local educational agencies
respective need for assistance under this part, as determined
by the State educational agency, taking into account factors
such as--
``(1) the number of children served by the local
educational agency who are from low-income families; and
``(2) the number of elementary school and secondary school
students who are served by the local educational agency and
whose reading achievement is unsatisfactory.
``SEC. 2254. CONSORTIA REQUIREMENTS.
``(a) Consortia.--A local educational agency receiving a
grant under this part of less than $10,000 shall form a
consortium with another local educational agency or an
educational service agency serving another local educational
agency in order to be eligible to participate in programs
assisted under this part.
``(b) Waiver.--The State educational agency may waive the
application of subsection (a) in the case of any local
educational agency that demonstrates that the amount of the
agency's grant under this part is sufficient to provide a
program of sufficient size, scope, and quality to be
effective. In granting waivers under the preceding
sentence, the State educational agency shall--
``(1) give special consideration to local educational
agencies serving rural areas if distances or traveling time
between schools make formation of the consortium more costly
or less effective; and
``(2) consider cash or in-kind contributions provided from
State or local sources that may be combined with the local
educational agency's grant for the purpose of providing
services under this part.
``(c) Special Rule.--Each consortium shall rely, as much as
possible, on technology or other arrangements to provide
professional development programs tailored to the needs of
each school or school district participating in a consortium
described in subsection (a).
``SEC. 2255. STATE APPLICATIONS.
``(a) Applications Required.--Each State educational agency
desiring an allotment under this part for any fiscal year
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
such form, and containing such information as the Secretary
may require.
``(b) State Plan To Improve Teaching and Learning of
Reading and literacy Programs.--
``(1) In general.--Each application under this section
shall include a State plan that is coordinated with the
State's plan for other Federal education programs that
pertain to reading and literacy activities.
``(2) Contents.--Each State plan shall--
``(A) be developed--
``(i) in conjunction with the Governor of the State (in
those States where the Governor does not appoint the Chief
State School Officer), the State agency for higher education,
community-based and other nonprofit organizations of
demonstrated effectiveness in reading readiness, reading
instruction for both adults and children, and early childhood
literacy, institutions of higher education or schools of
education, and State directors of appropriate Federal or
State programs with a strong reading or literacy component;
and
``(ii) with the extensive participation of teachers who
teach reading, and of parents;
``(B) include an assessment of State and local needs for
reading and literacy professional development for pre-school,
elementary school, and secondary school teachers, and
teachers who teach in adult and family literacy programs;
``(C) include a description of how the plan has assessed
the needs of local educational agencies serving rural and
urban areas, and a description of the actions planned to meet
such needs;
``(D) include a description of how the activities assisted
under this part will address the needs of teachers in schools
receiving assistance under title I and will effectively teach
all students to read independently;
``(E) include a description of--
``(i) how professional development activities assisted
under this part will be based on the best available research
on reading development and reading disorders; and
``(ii) the extent to which the activities prepare teachers
in all the major components of reading instruction (including
phoneme awareness, phonics, fluency, and reading
comprehension);
``(F) describe how the State will use technology to enhance
reading and literacy professional development activities for
teachers;
``(G) describe how parents can participate in literacy-
related activities assisted under this part to enhance
children's reading fluency;
``(H) describe how reading tutors can participate in
literacy-related activities assisted under this part,
including professional development opportunities, to enhance
children's reading fluency;
``(I) describe how the State educational agency will
facilitate the provision of technical assistance to the local
educational agencies that receive grants under this part in
order to assist in establishing the local educational
agencies' local professional development activities;
``(J) describe how the State educational agency--
``(i) will build on, and promote coordination among,
literacy programs in the State, in order to increase the
effectiveness of the programs and to avoid duplication of the
efforts of the programs; and
``(ii) will promote programs that provide access to diverse
and age-appropriate reading material;
``(K) describe how the State educational agency will assess
and evaluate, on a regular basis, local educational agency
activities assisted under this part;
``(L) describe the methods the State educational agency
will use to assess and evaluate the progress of local
educational agencies in the State that receive grants under
this part; and
``(M) include an assurance that each local educational
agency to which the State educational agency awards a grant--
``(i) will carry out family literacy programs, such as the
Even Start family literacy program authorized under part B of
title I, to enable parents to be their child's first and most
important teacher; and
``(ii) will carry out programs to assist those pre-
kindergarten and kindergarten students who are not ready for
the transition to 1st grade, particularly students
experiencing difficulty with reading skills.
``(c) Plan Approval.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall approve an
application of a State educational agency under this section
if such application meets the requirements of this section.
``(2) Disapproval.--The Secretary shall not finally
disapprove a State plan, except after giving the State
educational agency notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
``(3) Peer review.--The Secretary shall establish a peer
review process, in consultation with the National Research
Council of the National Academy of Sciences and the National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development, to make
recommendations regarding approval of State plans.
``(d) Assurances.--A State plan shall contain assurances
that the State will comply with the requirements of this
section, and provide for such fiscal control and fund
accounting procedures that may be necessary to ensure the
proper disbursement of, and accounting for, funds paid to the
State under this section.
``(e) Multi-State Partnership Arrangements.--For the
purposes of carrying out this section, a State educational
agency may join with other State educational agencies to
develop a single application that satisfies the requirements
of this section and identifies which State educational
agency, from among the States joining, shall act as the
fiscal agent for the multi-State arrangement.
``(f) Reporting.--A State educational agency that receives
an allotment under this part shall submit an annual
performance report to the Secretary. Such report shall
include a description of--
``(1) the assessment and evaluation methods described in
section 2255(b)(2)(L); and
``(2) the local educational agencies receiving grants under
this part.
``SEC. 2256. STATE USE OF FUNDS.
``(a) State Level Activities.--Each State educational
agency shall use funds made available under section 2253(a)--
``(1) to provide technical assistance to schools and local
educational agencies, and entities administering adult and
family literacy programs, for the purpose of providing
effective professional development reading and literacy
activities;
``(2) to conduct an assessment of State needs for reading
and literacy professional development, including the needs in
both rural and urban areas;
``(3) to provide for coordination of reading and literacy
programs within the State in order to avoid duplication and
increase the effectiveness of reading and literacy
activities; and
``(4) to conduct evaluations of local educational agency
activities assisted under this part.
``(b) Grants.--
``(1) In general.--Each State educational agency receiving
an allotment under this part shall use the funds made
available under section 2253(c) to award grants in accordance
with such section to local educational agencies within the
State.
``(2) Grant period.--A grant awarded under this subsection
shall be awarded for a period of 3 years.
``SEC. 2257. LOCAL PLAN FOR IMPROVING TEACHING AND LEARNING
OF READING AND LITERACY PROGRAMS.
``(a) In General.--Each local educational agency desiring a
grant under this part shall
[[Page S11535]]
submit an application to the State educational agency at such
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as
the State educational agency may require. Such application
shall include an assessment of local needs for professional
development activities in reading and literacy--
``(1) at the elementary school and secondary school levels;
and
``(2) in adult and family literacy programs.
``(b) Special Rule.--A local educational agency that
applies for a grant under this part shall form a partnership,
with 1 or more community-based organizations of demonstrated
effectiveness in reading readiness, reading instruction and
achievement for both adults and children, and early childhood
literacy, such as a Head Start program, public library, or an
agency that oversees adult education programs, to carry out
the local activities described in section 2258.
``(c) Contents.--Each local plan shall--
``(1) include an assessment of local needs for reading and
literacy professional development;
``(2) include a description of how the activities described
in section 2258 will address the needs of teachers--
``(A) in schools receiving assistance under title I; and
``(B) in adult and family literacy programs;
``(3) describe how parents can participate in literacy-
related activities assisted under this part to enhance
children's reading fluency;
``(4) describe how reading tutors can participate in
literacy-related activities assisted under this part,
including professional development opportunities, to enhance
children's reading fluency;
``(5) describe how the local educational agency will build
on, and promote coordination among, literacy programs at the
local level in order to increase the effectiveness of the
programs and to avoid duplication of effort;
``(6) describe how the local educational agency--
``(A) will carry out family literacy programs, such as the
Even Start family literacy program authorized under part B of
title I, to enable parents to be their child's first and most
important teacher;
``(B) will carry out programs to assist those pre-
kindergarten and kindergarten students who are not ready for
the transition to 1st grade, particularly students
experiencing difficulty with reading skills; and
``(C) will promote programs that provide access to diverse
and age-appropriate reading material;
``(7) describe how the local plan will be carried out in
coordination with other Federal education programs that
pertain to reading and literacy activities; and
``(8) describe the amount and nature of funds from other
public or private sources that will be combined with funds
received under this section.
``(d) Local Plan Approval.--The State educational agency
shall approve an application of a local educational agency
under this section if such application meets the requirements
of this section.
``SEC. 2258. LOCAL ACTIVITIES.
``(a) In General.--Each local educational agency shall use
the funds made available under section 2256(b)--
``(1) to support partnerships among pre-schools, elementary
schools, secondary schools, consortia of such schools, local
educational agencies, community-based organizations (such as
a Head Start program), adult education programs, institutions
of higher education, or (where appropriate) public libraries,
of demonstrated effectiveness in reading readiness, and in
reading instruction and achievement, for adults and children;
``(2) to provide intensive, ongoing professional
development activities to train teachers to meet the diverse
reading needs of all students, which activities shall--
``(A) be based on the best available research on reading
development and reading disorders; and
``(B) prepare teachers in all the major components of
reading instruction (including phoneme awareness, phonics,
fluency, and reading comprehension);
``(3) to develop professional development programs and
strategies to effectively involve parents in helping their
children with reading;
``(4) to provide parents with literacy-related activities
that will enhance children's reading fluency;
``(5) to provide reading tutors with literacy-related
activities, including professional development opportunities,
to enhance children's reading fluency;
``(6) to promote programs that provide access to diverse
and age-appropriate reading material;
``(7) to provide coordination of reading and literacy
programs within the local educational agency to avoid
duplication and increase the effectiveness of reading and
literacy activities;
``(8) to coordinate family literacy programs, such as the
Even Start family literacy program authorized under part B of
title I, to enable parents to be their child's first and most
important teacher, and to make payments for the receipt of
technical assistance for the development of such programs;
and
``(9) to establish programs to assist those pre-
kindergarten and kindergarten students enrolled in schools
served by the local educational agency who are not ready for
the transition to 1st grade, particularly students
experiencing difficulty with reading skills.
``(b) Special Rules.--A local educational agency receiving
a grant under this part shall use the funds for activities
described in subsection (a) that--
``(1) provide professional development activities in
reading instruction to teachers in elementary schools and
secondary schools having the greatest need for such services,
as evidenced by poor student performance on reading
assessments, a high percentage of students from low-income
families, or a combination of such performance and
percentage; and
``(2) are provided to teachers at public and private
nonprofit elementary schools and secondary schools.
``SEC. 2259. LOCAL DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
``Each local educational agency that receives funds under
this part for any fiscal year--
``(1) shall use not less than 80 percent of such funds for
the professional development of teachers and, where
appropriate, administrators, pupil services personnel,
parents, tutors, and other staff of individual schools, and
for other literacy-related activities, in a manner that--
``(A) to the extent practicable, takes place at an
individual school site; and
``(B) is consistent with the local educational agency's
plan under section 2257, any school plan under part A of
title I, and any other plan for professional development
carried out with Federal, State, or local funds that
emphasizes sustained, ongoing activities related to
professional development for teachers; and
``(2) may use not more than 20 percent of such funds for
school district-level professional development activities,
including, where appropriate, the participation of
administrators, policymakers, tutors, and parents, if such
activities directly support instructional personnel, and for
other literacy-related activities.
``SEC. 2260. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION.
``(a) In General.--From funds reserved under section
2261(b), the National Institute for Literacy shall
disseminate information with respect to reading and literacy.
At a minimum, the institute shall disseminate such
information to all recipients of Federal financial assistance
under this title, titles I and VII, the Head Start Act, the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Adult
Education Act.
``(b) Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the
National Institute for Literacy shall use, to the extent
practicable, information networks developed and maintained
through other public and private persons, including the
Secretary, the National Center for Family Literacy, and the
Readline Program.
``SEC. 2261. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--If the amount appropriated to carry out
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for fiscal
year 1998, 1999, or 2000 exceeds by $500,000,000 the amount
so appropriated for fiscal year 1997, 1998, or 1999,
respectively, there are authorized to be appropriated to
carry out this part and section 1202(c) $210,000,000 for the
fiscal year 1998, 1999, or 2000, as the case may be, of which
$10,000,000 shall be available to carry out section 1202(c).
``(b) Reservation.--From amounts appropriated under
subsection (a) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve
$5,000,000 to carry out section 2260.
``(c) Sunset.--Notwithstanding section 422(a) of the
General Education Provisions Act, this title is repealed,
effective September 30, 2000, and is not subject to extension
under such section.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2003 of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6603) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``(other than part C)''
after ``title''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ``part C'' and
inserting ``part D''.
TITLE II--AMENDMENTS TO EVEN START FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS
SEC. 201. RESERVATION FOR GRANTS.
Section 1202(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6362(c)) is amended to read as
follows:
``(c) Reservation for Grants.--
``(1) Grants authorized.--From funds reserved under section
2261(a) to carry out this section for a fiscal year, the
Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to
States to enable such States to plan and implement statewide
family literacy initiatives to coordinate and integrate
existing Federal, State, and local literacy resources
consistent with the purposes of this part. Such coordination
and integration shall include coordination and integration of
funds available under the Adult Education Act, the Head Start
Act, this part, part A of this title, and part A of title IV
of the Social Security Act.
``(2) Consortia.--
``(A) Establishment.--To receive a grant under this
subsection, a State shall establish a consortium of State-
level programs under the following provisions of law:
``(i) This title.
``(ii) The Head Start Act.
``(iii) The Adult Education Act.
``(iv) All other State-funded preschool programs and
programs providing literacy services to adults.
``(B) Plan.--To receive a grant under this subsection, the
consortium established by a State shall create a plan to use
a portion of the State's resources, derived from the programs
referred to in subparagraph (A), to strengthen and expand
family literacy services in such State.
``(C) Coordination with part c of title ii.--The consortium
shall coordinate its activities with the activities assisted
under part C of title II, if the State receives a grant under
such part.
``(3) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide,
directly or through a grant or contract with an organization
with experience in the development and operation of
successful family literacy services, technical assistance to
States receiving a grant under this subsection.
``(4) Matching requirement.--The Secretary shall not make a
grant to a State under this subsection unless the State
agrees that, with respect to the costs to be incurred by the
eligible
[[Page S11536]]
consortium in carrying out the activities for which the grant
was awarded, the State will make available non-Federal
contributions in an amount equal to not less than the Federal
funds provided under the grant.''.
SEC. 202. DEFINITIONS.
Section 1202(e) of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6362(e)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
``(3) the term `family literacy services' means services
provided to participants on a voluntary basis that are of
sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient
duration, to make sustainable changes in a family (such as
eliminating or reducing welfare dependency) and that
integrate all of the following activities:
``(A) Interactive literacy activities between parents and
their children.
``(B) Equipping parents to partner with their children in
learning.
``(C) Parent literacy training, including training that
contributes to economic self-sufficiency.
``(D) Appropriate instruction for children of parents
receiving parent literacy services.''.
SEC. 203. EVALUATION.
Section 1209 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6369) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) to provide States and eligible entities receiving a
subgrant under this part, directly or through a grant or
contract with an organization with experience in the
development and operation of successful family literacy
services, technical assistance to ensure local evaluations
undertaken under section 1205(10) provide accurate
information on the effectiveness of programs assisted under
this part.''.
SEC. 204. INDICATORS OF PROGRAM QUALITY.
(a) In General.--The Elementary and Secondary Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating section 1210 as section 1212; and
(2) by inserting after section 1209 the following:
``SEC. 1210. INDICATORS OF PROGRAM QUALITY.
``Each State receiving funds under this part shall develop,
based on the best available research and evaluation data,
indicators of program quality for programs assisted under
this part. The indicators shall be used to monitor, evaluate,
and improve such programs within the State. The indicators
shall include the following:
``(1) With respect to eligible participants in a program
who are adults--
``(A) achievement in the areas of reading, writing, English
language acquisition, problem solving, and numeracy;
``(B) receipt of a secondary school diploma or its
recognized equivalent;
``(C) entry into a postsecondary school, a job retraining
program, or employment or career advancement, including the
military; and
``(D) such other indicators as the State may develop.
``(2) With respect to eligible participants in a program
who are children--
``(A) improvement in ability to read on grade level or
reading readiness;
``(B) school attendance;
``(C) grade retention and promotion; and
``(D) such other indicators as the State may develop.''.
(b) State Level Activities.--Section 1203(a) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
6363(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(3) carrying out section 1210.''.
(c) Award of Subgrants.--Paragraphs (3) and (4) of section
1208(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 6368) are amended to read as follows:
``(3) Continuing eligibility.--In awarding subgrant funds
to continue a program under this part for the second, third,
or fourth year, the State educational agency shall evaluate
the program based on the indicators of program quality
developed by the State under section 1210. Such evaluation
shall take place after the conclusion of the startup period,
if any.
``(4) Insufficient progress.--The State educational agency
may refuse to award subgrant funds if such agency finds that
the eligible entity has not sufficiently improved the
performance of the program, as evaluated based on the
indicators of program quality developed by the State under
section 1210, after--
``(A) providing technical assistance to the eligible
entity; and
``(B) affording the eligible entity notice and an
opportunity for a hearing.''.
SEC. 205. RESEARCH.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), as amended by section 204 of this Act,
is further amended by inserting after section 1210 the
following:
``SEC. 1211. RESEARCH.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out, through
grant or contract, research into the components of successful
family literacy services. The purpose of the research shall
be--
``(1) to improve the quality of existing programs assisted
under this part or other family literacy programs carried out
under this Act or the Adult Education Act; and
``(2) to develop models for new programs to be carried out
under this Act or the Adult Education Act.
``(b) Dissemination.--The National Institute for Literacy
shall disseminate, pursuant to section 2260, the results of
the research described in subsection (a) to States and
recipients of subgrants under this part.''.
Amendment No. 3740
(Purpose: To provide for a complete substitute)
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask
for its immediate consideration.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
The Senator from Vermont [Mr. Jeffords], proposes an
amendment numbered 3740.
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of
the amendment be dispensed with.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under
``Amendments Submitted.'')
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, this is an important bill. It is a bill
that is designed to address what is probably the most serious problem
we have in the United States in our educational system, and that is the
inability of our school system to provide young people who graduate
from high school with the skills necessary, in just the very basics of
reading. To enable our nation to proceed into the next century as we
should and to maximize the potential of these young people, we must
assure that our high school graduates have these essential skills.
Back in 1983, the Reagan administration, through Education Secretary
Terrel Bell, delivered a report to the Nation called ``A Nation At
Risk.'' That report outlined the serious problems we have in our
educational system and observed that the output of our primary and
secondary educational schools was not anywhere near what it needed to
be in order to meet the challenges posed by our Asian and European
competitors. Many problems were delineated in that report. One on which
we have focused a great deal of attention is performance in
mathematics.
The United States, among all the industrialized nations, was at the
bottom in tests given to our young people to determine their abilities
in mathematics. We were dead last among our competitor nations. So, in
a number of ways, we have tried to improve the results of our
educational system with respect to mathematics. The studies have also
shown that our industries have found that problems are not limited just
to mathematics. Rather, they found that the basic problem was that
their workers could not read the problems in order to determine the
mathematics necessary to solve them. Mastering the very basics of
reading was essential before they could understand how to answer the
problems in mathematics.
We have been trying to make improvements since 1983. In 1988, the
Governors met with the President and established national goals--
sometimes referred to as Goals 2000--to try to emphasize that changes
must be made in our educational system in order to make this Nation
what it ought to be as we go into the next century.
As a result of that initiative, in 1994, we established a goals panel
in order to determine whether or not we were making any improvement in
these essential areas. I sit on that goals panel. I have been a member
now for some 4 years, and I am sorry to report--and this has already
been reported--that, in those 4 years, there has not been any
indication that we have made any progress toward these goals, even in
the area of reading. And the same is true with respect to mathematics.
In fact, just recently, the last IMS study--International Mathematics
Study --showed that our students graduating from high school were again
at the bottom of all industrialized nations, as far as their capacity
to solve mathematical problems.
That same study indicated that our fourth graders were the best in
the world, and our eighth graders were average. But, by the time they
graduated from high school, they were well behind. Part of that problem
stems from problems with reading and the ability to understand
problems.
I point out another situation with respect to reading that is very
instructive in this regard.
Motorola, back in the early 1980s, was in a real fight with Japan on
cellular phones. The CEO of Motorola said
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he had to develop a new factory employing individuals with the skills
necessary to produce cellular phones that would be equal to or better
than those of the Japanese. So a study group was established. The study
group indicated that they had a problem with respect to trying to get
the skilled workforce necessary in order to compete with the Japanese.
They also took a look at Malaysia and other areas. They reported back
to the CEO that our workers were not capable of the productivity
necessary. So they opted to locate the plant in Malaysia. The CEO,
being a strong American, said ``No. We are not going to locate a plant
in Malaysia. I want to find out why we are unable to find and to train
the workers necessary to get the best productivity.''
A study was conducted, which found out that the reason for the
problem was the inability to answer math problems. That was one thing.
But, then, they found that the reason workers were not able to solve
the math problems was that they couldn't read the math problems. The
company created the necessary remedial training first to train the
workers how to read and then to allow them to do the math problems.
Believe it or not, they were able to do that with the remedial
training.
So the CEO said, ``We are going to locate that plant in the United
States.'' They did. It proved to be the most productive plant in all of
the Motorola operations, with higher productivity than the Japanese. It
is a long story about Motorola. But, finally, they were able to outdo
the Japanese and to outsell them. In fact, they were even able to break
into the markets in Japan and to outsell the Japanese. It goes back to
the basics. The workers couldn't read.
Another study which is instructional was done in, I believe, 1993. It
was a national literacy study that showed that 51 percent of the high
school graduates who were examined were found to be functionally
illiterate. That is incredible. You wonder why our business people say
they don't even bother to look at a diploma of a kid out of high school
because it doesn't mean anything. That is another area that we are
trying to improve and, at a minimum, to make sure that everyone who
gets a high school diploma knows how to read.
We looked into this and found what had happened. The reason this
dismal result was appearing was that, back in the 1960s, studies were
done at Cornell University. At that time, we had this big awakening
about the problems of neurosis and young people and things that
stimulated mental problems. Researchers concluded that the worst thing
one could do was to fail a kid in school because that would create a
neurosis and the child would have problems the rest of his or her life.
That led to the development of so-called ``social promotion.'' In
other words, the attitude was, ``Well, if they can't read, pack them
on.'' That might have been fine from the second to the third grade and
maybe even from the third or fourth grades if somebody would have
picked them up and taught them how to read. But nobody ever picked them
up. The teachers were busy teaching the ones who knew how to read. They
did not have time for those who didn't know how to read. Social
promotion is a reality in probably all of our schools.
You wonder why our CEO's say, ``We don't even look at diplomas to
determine whether the kids should come to us to work.''
Getting to today, this problem with reading was emphasized, and we
determined that we had to do something. Working with the
Administration, we prepared the reading bill before us today. This
legislation provides for ample funding and lays out everything that we
believe we need to do in order to take not only corrective action
before students get out of the third and fourth grades to make sure
that they read, but also to make sure we have remedial training for all
of those in the higher grades who didn t master reading in their early
school years.
In the budget account, we attached $250 million for this bill to
assist in trying to find a remedial program which will be successful in
getting our young people to read.
A number of people have worked very hard on this bill. Senator
Kennedy, I expect, will be here before too long. Senator Coverdell and
Senator Coats and Senators Gregg and Hutchinson all really worked hard
to bring about this bill and to make sure that it received favorable
consideration.
On the House side Representatives Clay, Hilleary and Riggs, and
especially my good friend Bill Goodling. Chairman Goodling has
championed literacy throughout his tenure, and he has done a wonderful
job in making sure that the reading bill got to us. I am now working
very closely with him as we go towards the reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
In my view, the bill provides the necessary remedial help to get our
schools on a path where we can assist substantially in getting young
people to read and to graduate from high school in a manner which will
be productive for them and for our society.
I mentioned Senator Kennedy. He is here. The work that he has done in
championing this cause is very notable.
Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I commend Chairman Jeffords for his
leadership in making child literacy a priority and developing this
strong legislation. I also commend Senator Coverdell for helping to
make this bill a priority in the Senate, and Senator Murray and Senator
Dodd for their leadership in issues involving young children.
I also want to thank Congressman Goodling and Congressman Clay for
working effectively to ensure that the Senate and House could reach
agreement on this important measure.
I commend and thank all the staff members of the working group for
their skillful assistance in making this process successful: Sherry
Kaiman of Senator Jeffords' staff; Townsend Lange of Senator Coats
staff; Suzanne Day of Senator Dodd's staff; Elyse Wasch of Senator
Reed's staff; Greg Williamson of Senator Murray's staff; Bev Schroeder
of Senator Harkin's staff; and Danica Petroshius of my own staff. I
also commend the hard work of the House staff on the working group,
including Vic Klatt, Sally Lovejoy, D'Arcy Philps, Lynn Selmser, and
Bob Sweet of the House Committee majority staff; Alex Nock, Marci
Phillips, Mark Zuckerman, and June Harris of the House Committee
minority staff; and Charlie Barone of Represenative George Miller's
staff.
Learning to read well is the cornerstone of every child's education.
We know that reading skills are fundamental to effective learning in
all subjects. The ability to read effectively is the gateway to
opportunity and success throughout life.
Many successful programs are helping children learn to read well. But
too often, the best programs are not available to all children. As a
result, large numbers of children are denied the opportunity to learn
to read well. 40 percent of 4th grade students do not achieve the basic
reading level, and 70 percent of 4th graders are not proficient in
reading.
Children who fail to acquire basic reading skills early in life are
at a disadvantage throughout their education and later careers. They
are more likely to drop out of school, and to be unemployed. We need to
do more to ensure that all children learn to read well--and learn to
read well early--so that they have a greater chance for successful
lives and careers.
In October 1996, President Clinton and the First Lady initiated a new
effort to call national attention to child literacy by proposing their
``America Reads Challenge.'' Many of us in Congress strongly supported
their call for increased aid for reading tutors and other steps to
improve child literacy. Today, over 1,000 colleges and universities are
committed to the President's ``America Reads Work Study Program,'' and
59 of these institutions are in Massachusetts.
Many of the reading difficulties experienced by teenagers and adults
today could have been prevented by better attention during early
childhood. By working to ensure that all children learn to read well in
the early grades, we can reduce the need for costly special education
instruction in later grades. We must make every effort to give our
public schools the resources necessary to ensure that all children
obtain the reading skills they need--at an early age.
This bill is a major step toward meeting that goal. It provides
children, parents, schools, and communities with the resources and
opportunities they need to improve child and family literacy--and the
help can't come a minute too soon.
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This bill also recognizes that teachers must have adequate resources
and proper training in order to be prepared to teach reading well.
Teachers must often provide special assistance to children who are
having difficulty learning to read. Too often, teachers lack the time,
the skills, and the resources to provide children with that assistance.
Building on the successful Eisenhower Professional Development Program,
which trains teachers in math and science, this bill creates new
opportunities for teachers to obtain the training they need to teach
reading effectively.
Communities across the country are initiating innovative projects on
reading. At Boston College, a fundamental part of teacher education is
training teachers in the best research and practice on ways to teach
reading, including helping children develop skills in phonics, sound-
and-symbol relationships, and reading comprehension.
This bill encourages local school districts to build partnerships and
work in cooperation with community organizations and state agencies. It
ensures that local, state, and national efforts to improve literacy are
coordinated, and that the most effective resources and practices are
used to meet the needs of children. It also provides communities with
support to provide children with trained tutors to give them the
opportunity to practice reading with adults.
In Massachusetts, 59 colleges and universities are providing trained
tutors to school children through the Federal Work Study Program. At
Boston University, 150 reading tutors are helping 400 needy children
learn to read. Students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute serve as
reading tutors at the Belmont Community School. The Reading Excellence
Act builds upon these successful programs to help communities find and
train tutors who can make a difference.
In addition, children need to have useful reading materials outside
of school to help them develop a love of reading early in life. To meet
this goal, the bill encourages strong links to a variety of programs
for early childhood literacy, and encourages cooperation between
community, state, and national organizations to ensure that every child
has access to good reading materials.
Physicians are also part of the effort. Successful pediatric
programs, such as Reach Out and Read, can benefit even more children as
a result of this bill. This program was created by a team of
pediatricians and early childhood educators at Boston City Hospital in
1989. Pediatricians are encouraged to prescribe reading activities as
part of childhood medical check-ups, and to see that children leave the
doctor's office with a good book in hand. Now, 4,500 health care
providers in 46 states have been trained to help nearly one million
children and their families. Parents who participate in Reach Out and
Read are 8 times more likely to read to their children than parents who
do not participate in this pediatric program.
Children whose parents are involved in their education, who read to
them, and who work with them on language skills are more likely to
become successful readers. They achieve higher test scores. They have
better school attendance records. They graduate at higher rates. And
they are more likely to go to college. But children whose parents lack
a strong educational foundation are less likely to do so.
Many parents want to help, but too often they are unable to do so
because the parents themselves lack basic reading skills. We can do
more to help parents acquire the skills and resources needed to help
their children learn to read. This bill will expand local family
literacy initiatives, and help states to increase parent involvement.
Family literacy efforts, such as the Home Instruction Program for
Preschool Youngsters in Worcester, Massachusetts, concentrate on
providing parents with the education and skills they need to be their
children's first reading teachers. These programs teach parents how to
read aloud and work with their children at home, and give parents the
opportunity to attend literacy and other classes.
Funds will also be available to the National Institute for Literacy
to gather and disseminate information about the best practices for
improving child literacy, so that every school and community can take
advantage of them.
This bill targets funds for literacy programs on schools where the
needs are greatest. Children in poor schools are more likely to live in
homes with parents who have not completed high school and are
unemployed. Children from such homes are 5 to 6 times more likely to
drop out of school than other children. We should help ensure that they
get the opportunities they need to learn to read well.
Recent successes in Boston prove that targeted efforts to improve
schools and student performance can produce real results. After three
years of reforms in Boston emphasizing early literacy, high academic
standards, and the best teaching practices, students in almost every
grade showed significant improvements in math and reading scores on
city-wide achievement tests.
The Samuel W. Mason School in Boston, where 91 percent of the
children come from poor families, has gone from one of the lowest-
performing schools in the city to scoring in the top quarter of all
public schools in the city in reading achievement. They have
implemented a school reform approach that focuses on literacy. Teachers
were trained in the best reading practices. In addition, they adapted
teaching styles to fit children's learning styles, tested the children
every six weeks to measure improvement, and focused on improving family
literacy in the community.
The bill will help provide children with the readiness skills and
support they need to learn to read once they enter school. It will help
teach every child to read in these early years--from preschool though
the 3rd grade. And, it will improve the instructional practices of
teachers and other staff in elementary schools with the greatest need
for extra help.
The bill provides competitive grants to states to improve child
literacy. Each state will create a plan to address the needs of its
teachers and communities for improving student achievement in reading.
Eligible school districts will be able to apply to the state for funds
to support teacher training in how to teach reading well in elementary
schools with the greatest need for help, and to support partnerships
among eligible school districts and community organizations that
support early learning, tutoring, adult literacy, and that provide
children and families with access to books.
The lowest-achieving and poorest schools will benefit. Local school
districts that are eligible for subgrants fall into three categories:
(1) districts that have at least one low-performing school in school
improvement under Title I; (2) districts that have schools with the
highest and second highest number of poor children in the state; and
(3) districts that have schools with the highest and second highest
poverty rates in the states.
The bill amends Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act, and authorizes $260 million each year for fiscal years 1999 and
2000.
By building on successful programs such as the Eisenhower
Professional Development Program, the College Work Study Program, and
the Even Start Program, this bill provides state and local education
agencies with the support they need to bring successful programs to
their teachers, students, and communities.
Children do not learn to read on their own. Children need well-
trained teachers who can give them the assistance they deserve.
Children need trained tutors who can work with them outside the
classroom. They need involved parents who know how to read and know how
to work effectively with their children at home. Children need access
to effective reading materials at home. And, children need the
opportunity to acquire reading readiness skills early, so that they
come to school ready to learn to read.
The Reading Excellence Act ensures that the best methods and
resources are more widely available to schools, families, and children
across the country. I urge the Senate to pass this important
legislation.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I rise in
support of the Reading Excellence Act. I am very pleased that, working
with the House committee and Secretary Riley, we have been able to work
out a final bill that will improve reading skills. This
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effort once again demonstrates that when we focus on what really
matters to America's families and work together, we can accomplish a
great deal of good. And today, we are taking a substantial step in
improving the teaching of reading in our schools.
There are few skills that are more important than literacy. It is
what makes us good workers, good parents, and good citizens. Imagine
not being able to read. Bus schedules, children's homework assignments,
and local newspapers--all beyond your grasp. From start to finish, each
day would be nearly impossible.
Yet, too many of our children leave school lacking this basic skill
which is essential to their livelihood and their quality of life. But,
for the child who cannot read, the problem begins much earlier than
graduation. Research has shown that children who fall behind as early
as the second and third grade do not catch up or become fluent readers
unless expensive, intensive help is available to them. If such help is
not available, these children become increasingly frustrated and are at
substantial risk of dropping out of school altogether.
Our goal must be to help all children to read well, to read
independently, and, importantly, to enjoy reading. We have a tremendous
advantage today in reaching this goal in that we know so much more
about the physiological process of learning to read. We also know what
works and what does not. This bill makes sure that this new base of
knowledge gets out beyond academia and its scholarly journals and into
classrooms across the country where it can make a real difference in
the lives of our children.
Beyond the classroom, this legislation will also help empower the
first and most important teacher of all children--their parents.
Children's literacy levels are directly related to the literacy ability
and interest of their parents, especially their mothers. The values,
attitudes and expectations held by parents and other care givers with
respect to literacy will have a lasting effect on a child's attitude
about learning to read. This bill will encourage parents to read to
their children at an early age and foster the budding literacy skills
of their children.
I am particularly pleased the bill also reaches out to Head Start and
other local pre-school programs to bring them into these efforts to
ensure that young children have the necessary foundation for literacy.
In addition, the bill does not overlook the important contribution
trained volunteers and mentors can have in improving a child's reading
fluency and comprehension. This bill encourages local communities to
tap into these efforts and coordinate volunteers to bring their talents
and time into the schools to read with children one on one.
Finally, Mr. President, this bill does not overlook the most basic
tool in any literacy effort--Books. Good, engaging, age-appropriate
books are critical to any successful effort to improve literacy. In too
many homes, books are a rarity. And yet any parent will tell you how
books capture the imagination and attention of toddlers and, even
babies, better than any television show.
I think we need to do much more when it comes to books. Our tax laws
have set up very perverse incentives that make it more profitable to
destroy unsold books rather than donate them to schools or literacy
organizations. I am hopeful that, when the Senate next revisits tax
law, we can take a look at this issue and reverse these incentives to
get more books into the hands of children. In the meantime, this
legislation is a good first step in ensuring that children will have
increased exposure and involvement with high-quality books.
Mr. President, this is a good thoughtful bill and I am very pleased
that we will complete action on it this year and begin this important
effort to improve our children's literacy skills.
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the
Amendment be agreed to, the committee amendment, as amended, be agreed
to, the bill be considered as read the third time and passed, as
amended, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any
statements relating to the bill be placed in the appropriate place in
the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 3740) was agreed to.
The committee amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
The bill (H.R. 2614), as amended, was considered read the third time,
and passed.
Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, today the Senate passed H.R. 2614, the
Reading Excellence Act, and I rise in celebration for the many
Americans this important legislation will help. Reading is critical to
every aspect of life, especially as we move into the high-tech world of
the 21st century. With the passage of this bill, more Americans will
secure the basic reading skills necessary to enjoy the benefits of
citizenship. It will enable many to do some of the things we take for
granted--being able to read a phone book, a dinner menu, directions on
a medicine bottle, or a job application.
Right now, only 4 out of 10 of our Nation's third graders can read at
grade level or above. This clearly can not stand. Our goal is to ensure
that every child is able to read by the third grade. This bill is a
down payment toward that goal. The Reading Excellence Act focuses on
scientifically based methods for teaching reading, it provides for
tutorial assistance for at-risk children, and addresses adult
illiteracy so that parents can be their children's first and most
important teacher. This bill stresses the basics, a return to proven
teaching methods, and most importantly a return to methods that work.
It is unacceptable that only 10 percent of our teachers have received
formal instruction on how to teach reading. Reading Excellence will
give our educators the resources needed to prepare our children to read
before they advance to the next grade.
With the leadership of Chairman William F. Goodling, H.R. 2614 passed
the House last year. Earlier this year Reading Excellence was included
in our Senate Republican blueprint for education reform. I also offered
Reading Excellence, S. 1596, as a freestanding bill in the Senate on
February 2, 1998. Again, in an effort to pass this legislation, I
offered it as an amendment to my education savings accounts bill and it
was agreed to unanimously. Unfortunately, the President killed that
comprehensive education reform bill, vetoing the literacy language
along with it. The administration has endorsed this language as a
freestanding bill.
Helping kids read should not be a partisan issue. Both Chambers have
now passed Reading Excellence unanimously, and I urge the President to
sign H.R. 2614 into law. I praise Chairman Goodling for his
perseverance and dedication to helping over 3 million children at risk
of falling behind. Senator Coats has also been a leader in getting this
legislation to its final passage and we all thank him for his
dedication to education. Today we take a first step, and as the poet
Robert Frost says, ``we have miles to go before we sleep.''
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