Can any teachers tell me about the "Reading First" Program that Bush was blathering about today?

[w8liftinglady]

I've done a little research and see that it is rife with scandal.He apparently is suspending most education-related funds but favoring this program.Who benefits from it,and is it a valid program?

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. Its his brother's software company

http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Literacy/texasScam.asp

[electron_blue]

2. All I know about it is that last year this is why my daughter had hardly

any math in kindergarten. Math took a large hit so they could double the amount of reading due to 'reading first'. I don't know about 'valid', but it is 'real'.

[HelenWheels]

3. Congressman Obey had issues with this program as well

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=219x6835
Dave Obey grills Spellings
He called her out on the Executive branches support of the Reading First program, siting a case in Madison WI where the fed's were going to withhold money unless they dropped their successful reading program for this one. When Spellings said she would check out that isolated incident Obey gave her a long list of other states that had experienced the same strong arming. She was steaming mad.

This is from a post I had from last year, Obey really gave it to Spelling about the upfront favoritism that the Bush administration was giving this program - especially since they were demanding that it replace more successful programs.

[HelenWheels]

4. Garrison Keilor got on the Reading First bandwagon

For some reason Garrison Keilor got on the Reading First bandwagon. My guess is he was buying the propaganda put out by this administration - not really what I expect from him.
http://normsnotes2.blogspot.com/2008/02/responding-to-garrison-keillor-phonics.html

Track record of Reading First

Reading First has failed to improve academic achievement in the nation as a whole and on tests given by individual states. Most of the increase in national (NAEP) reading scores that President Bush and Education Secretary Spellings keep talking about happened before NCLB/Reading First went into effect On an international test of reading (PIRLS), our fourth graders scored 542 in 2001 and 540 in 2006. No improvement, despite huge amounts of money and added instruction in reading. (For details, please see my postings on this topic at http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/.)

Mr. Keillor also appears to be unaware of the seamy side of Reading First, the scandals, the accusations of preference shown for certain publishers connected to the Bush family in awarding grants.

Link to original article: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0130keillorjan30,0,4943121.column

Liberals able to botch up schools too

Garrison Keillor
January 30, 2008

Edit: if you want to send a message to Mr. Keillor go to: http://prairiehome.publicradio.org//
Scroll down almost to the bottom to the "New to the Site?" section and click on "Post to the Host"

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. We had in in my district for a couple years

and the teachers who used it hated it. But what we have now is even worse.

http://successforall.com/

[madeline_con]

7. SFA was abandoned in my area some time back. n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Count your blessings

It really sucks. The first grade program isn't bad but the rest of it is horrible.

[madeline_con]

6. From the Dept. of Ed...

http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/index.html