[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11922]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              NATIONAL EARLY LITERACY SCREENING INITIATIVE

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, recently, the National Reading Panel 
submitted its report to Congress. That report shows the best current 
research on how children learn to read. One of the significant studies 
included in the research is the product of the National Institute for 
Child Health and Human Development. The research actually began as a 
result of the 1985 Health Research Extension Act which charged NICHD 
with the research task of finding out why children have trouble 
learning to read.
  The U.S. Department of Education reports a 42% increase in the number 
of students with specific learning disabilities receiving special 
education services over the past decade, with 2.7 million students ages 
6-21 currently being served under the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act. As many as 90 percent of these students have 
significant, if not primary, special education needs in the area of 
reading.
  In the NICHD study, one of the most important discoveries was that 
90-95% of those children with reading difficulties could be on track 
with their peers by third grade if they are identified at an early age 
and given the appropriate training. And that, Mr. President, is the 
greatest step we can make toward successful learning for these 
children.
  Currently, there is no readily available, scientifically based, easy-
to-use screening tool to test children for reading readiness skills. 
And, there is no coordinated effort for parents and other early care 
providers to identify children who show signs of early literacy 
difficulties and to provide them research-based information and 
support.
  The National Center for Learning Disabilities has recently completed 
a plan to provide parents, early childhood professionals, and other 
care providers with an easy to use early literacy screening tool, 
access to information about the critical importance of early oral 
language and literacy experiences, and resources that will inform and 
enhance early instruction and learning. The Report to the House-passed 
version of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related 
Agencies Appropriations bill includes a recommendation that NICHD fund 
this initiative.
  I hope that as we work through the differences in this bill, adequate 
funds will be provided to NICHD to fund the National Early Literacy 
Screening Initiative.

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