Citizens for Responsible Education Reform

Reading Initiative

Literacy in the United States

Issue Description

Literacy is a major problem in America. In fact, the federal government already spends $8.3 billion to address this issue. At least an additional $9.3 billion is spent by the federal government on other programs which are intended to help improve the reading skills of children in programs such as IDEA and Head Start. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce intends to carefully review all federal programs, as well as the President's proposal, "America Reads", to have all children reading by the end of third grade, in order to focus federal efforts on what programs and practices work and what will provide individuals with the literacy skills needed to achieve the American dream in today's world.

CRER Analysis and Position

CRER wonders how it is that a reported 40% of children are not reading by the end of third grade. With massive amounts of federal, state and local money infused into the education system each year, literacy rates should not go down or even "hold their own." The education establishment and many high level politicians would have us believe that pouring more money into new programs, new technology, new teachers, new facilities, new books, new tests, new standards, etc. will work wonders. Unfortunately, some of the worst examples of public education occur in cities that have some of the highest funding levels in the nation. That is not to say better equipment and supplies could not help...just that it is not the panacea some would like us to believe, and is often not allocated properly by district offices.

Ten years of a failed whole language experiment in California, our largest state, shows the degree to which politicians and the education establishment will squander public funds when they don't want to admit defeat. The sad thing is that millions of children were victimized with this failed approach that needn't have occurred.

CRER wants to see the national goal set at having children reading by the end of first grade, not third. Additionally, we want to see a return on a wide scale to traditional spelling and phonics approaches in reading and language arts. Supplementation with literature and creative activities is an important part of the learning experience, but it cannot be incorporated successfully if the child is not first presented with the means to decode written language.

CRER believes increasing literacy funding levels is not the answer. Leaving unsound teaching methods behind, and returning to proven approaches will be a step back in the right direction.

Current Status

The Reading Excellence Act (H.R. 2614) was passed in the House by voice vote on November 8, 1997.

S. 1596, the Senate version of The Reading Excellence Act, passed by voice vote on April 24, 1998.

For additional information on this issue, visit:
House Education Committee Chairman Goodling Comments on Senate Passage of Reading Excellence Act
The Reading Excellence Act (H.R. 2614)
House Committee on Education and the Workforce: Reading Excellence Page
America Reads Challenge--A Clinton Administration Initiative

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