Massive Funding Cuts to 'Reading First' Generate Worries for Struggling Schools

The reading coaches, professional development programs, and instructional materials that are the cornerstones of the Reading First program and are credited with improving instruction in struggling schools may be threatened by a deep cut included in the 2008 federal budget, officials and observers say. The reduction of more than 60 percent--from nearly $1 billion each year since the program was rolled out in 2002 to $393 million for the fiscal year that began October 1--will likely inhibit further improvements and test the sustainability of the changes Reading First has fostered over the past six years. The cut is part of an omnibus spending bill President Bush signed into law last month. The U.S. Department of Education is working with states to identify other potential sources to pay for the program, such as with federal Title I and Title II money, according to Amanda Farris, a deputy assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education.