[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 65 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E896-E897]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  READING TOGETHER USA AND READING TOGETHER ADULT TUTORS PROGRAMS IN 
                             NORTH CAROLINA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 1999

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, as the former North Carolina 
Superintendent of Schools and the Second District's Congressman, I rise 
today to call the attention of the Congress to the Reading Together USA 
Program and its extension by the proposed Program Reading Together 
Adult Tutors in North Carolina.
  Reading Together USA is a peer tutoring reading program launched to 
improve the reading fluency and comprehension skills of second grade 
students with the help of fifth grade tutors. The program was 
collaboratively developed by University of North Carolina--Greensboro, 
Guilford County Schools, and the National Council of Jewish Women 
Institute for Education and Innovation at Hebrew University in 
Jerusalem. Materials used are developed by the reading research 
literature, an institutional framework that has proved to be a well 
developed support system.
  Highly acclaimed by students and tutors, parents and educators, 
Reading Together USA is a systematic and cost effective program to 
improve reading and comprehension skills of youngsters. The program 
received governmental funding in the amount of $750,000 both in 1998 
and 1999. Reading Together USA consists of nine training sessions for 
the fifth grade tutors who work with the students in thirty tutorial 
sessions. The students and tutors meet twice a week for 35 to 45 minute 
sessions. Furthermore, to determine the effectiveness of a session, the 
tutors meet their students twice a week to plan and prepare for the 
next session.
  The response to Reading Together USA has been very positive as 
students have gained positive reading experience at a level that helps 
them to develop fluency and reading comprehension. Their tutors have 
also developed leadership, organization and human relation skills.
  Because of enormous success of the program and to meet the growing 
demand for tutors the extension of Reading Together USA by Reading 
Togehter for Adult Tutors has been proposed. This program builds on 
Reading Together USA but features adult tutors targeting especially 
parents tutoring students at home and volunteers working with 
youngsters in schools in after school programs. The estimated cost of 
the two programs is $2 million annually.

[[Page E897]]

  Study after study has demonstrated that sound reading skills are 
essential to a student's academic achievement. Students who learn to 
read well gain the ability to excel in other subjects and enhance their 
overall educational performance. Reading is a particular important 
ingredient for success in the Information Age and Congress must support 
innovative efforts to improve reading.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend the great achievements of Reading Together USA 
and strongly support its proposed extension Reading Together Adult 
Tutors. Education holds the key to our nation's future. Education leads 
to progress. One of the most important responsibilities we have as a 
society is to provide quality education for all of our children that is 
crucial to succeed in a competitive global environment.
  I encourage my collagues to join students and tutors, parents and 
educators to support both Reading Together USA and Reading Together 
Adult Tutors and to allocate the necessary fund for the Fiscal Year 
2000.

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