Obama and Congress eliminate the "Reading is Fundamental" program

[SharksBreath]

Congress and President Obama Cut Reading Is Fundamental - America’s Largest Children’s Literacy Program serving over 4 Million children
March 3, 2011—Statement by Carol H. Rasco, president and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental

On March 2, President Obama signed a bill that eliminated funding for Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) the nation's largest organization providing free books and literacy resources to prepare and motivate children to read. RIF’s ability to provide 4.4 million children with free books and reading encouragement from RIF programs at nearly 17,000 locations throughout the United States is in jeopardy.

RIF programs are in schools, community centers, hospitals, military bases, and other locations that serve children from low-income families, children with disabilities, homeless children, and children without adequate access to libraries. For 44 years, RIF has provided millions of children the opportunity to choose free and high-quality books to read and keep for themselves. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to follow their dreams and achieve their full potential.

The facts are simple. Millions of children are living in the United States without access to books. Book distribution programs are a key factor in developing children to be readers at an early age and a gateway to greater student achievement. In 2010, RIF commissioned a comprehensive meta-analytic research synthesis by Learning Point Associates, an affiliate of the American Institutes for Research. The study found that providing children access to print through book lending and book distribution programs:

improves their reading performance,
is instrumental in helping them learn the basics of reading,
causes them to read more and for longer lengths of time,
and improves their attitude toward reading and learning.

http://www.rif.org/us/about/press/1927.htm

Change only a Republican can dream of.

[TBF]

1. You don't have to be able to read to be a good soldier and follow orders -

and since this administration's only job program appears to be the military I am not surprised by this cut.

[Thunderstruck]

8. Or do repetitive tasks in a sweatshop or factory at the age of 10. Because

that's where this is all heading.

[TBF]

27. Yes another great point.

I think this is all going to backfire on these fuckers though - people who can't read still know when they are being screwed. Our revolution is next if this keeps up. May already be in motion with the activity in Wisconsin ...

[roguevalley]

26. I hope someone tries to defend Obama on this one. TRY!

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Haven't seen RIF in my school for at least 6 or 7 years now

Bush pretty much destroyed it with funding cuts. To revive it would be incredibly expensive.

Watch for this same scenario with many other federal programs that help the poor. For example, Bush also cut transportation to and from school for disabled kids. It takes effect in 2013, IIRC. So be ready to see that cut and for Obama to be faced with a no win situation there as well.

[Lasher]

3. Hey, that's money that can be used to buy Neil Bush's software!

That's what education 'reform' is all about.

[Buzz Clik]

4. So, was this a bill specifically written to cut RIF, or was that a consequence of another bill?

I know the answer. Let's see if the author of the OP is willing to tell us the truth.

[spanone]

24. of course it was, but doesn't the "everything's Obama's fault'' headline start the slime running

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

6. That and other programs were eliminated as separate budget items and consolidated

according to the budget summary. The funding increased overall.

Section II. A. Elementary and Secondary Education

New Authority (Consolidated Programs)

Effective Teachers and Leaders (Ready to Teach, Teacher Quality State Grants)

Teacher and Leader Innovation Fund (Advanced Credentialing, Teacher Incentive Fund)

Teacher and Leader Pathways (School Leadership, Teach for America, Teacher Quality Partnership, Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow, Transition to Teaching)

Effective Teaching and Learning: Literacy (Striving Readers, Literacy through School Libraries, National Writing Project, Reading is Fundamental, Ready-to-Learn Television, Even Start)

Effective Teaching and Learning: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (Mathematics and Science Partnerships)

Effective Teaching and Learning for a Well-Rounded Education (Teaching American History, Academies for American History and Civics, Civic Education, Close-Up Fellowships, Excellence in Economic Education, Foreign Language Assistance, Arts in Education)

National Activities (Educational Technology State Grants {Note: Each program would include a focus on educational technology})

College Pathways and Accelerated Learning (Advanced Placement, High School Graduation Initiative, Javits Gifted and Talented Education)

Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students (Alcohol Abuse Reduction, Elementary and Secondary School Counseling, Foundations for Learning, Mental Health Integration in Schools, Physical Education Program, Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities National Activities)

Expanding Educational Options (Charter Schools Grants, Credit Enhancement for Charter School, Facilities, Parental Information and Resource Centers, Smaller Learning Communities, Voluntary Public School Choice)

Funding details: Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Summary — February 14, 2011

[silverweb]

16. Thank you.

I long ago stopped having knee-jerk responses to these types of stories because they are so very often misrepresented.

We risk becoming as duplicitous as the reTHUGs when we allow hysterical headlines/reactions to drown out the real story.

You, ProSense, are someone I've come to rely on for presenting the backstory and the real facts, with documentation, on many issues. Thank you.

[MissDeeds]

7. This is a disgrace

Money out the butt for wars, but not for literacy. Tell me again why I should vote for more of this. I am so damn done with this pathetic administration.

[ProSense]

11. The programs

are being consolidated, not cut.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tekisui]

13. That link seems to show that the program is actually cut.

RIF is no longer going to be funded, but something called Effective Teaching and Learning for a Complete Education is going to be funded. How can you claim RIF funding is being increased when the program will no longer be recognized by the federal government?

[Rex]

15. It is very easy to post links.

Even if you don't read them.

[Lorien]

29. That's what they're banking on; that you won't read the blue linkys

and just take their word for it. Fail.

[woo me with science]

17. Isn't that something, when that happens? nt

[ProSense]

22. Hmmmm?

"How can you claim RIF funding is being increased when the program will no longer be recognized by the federal government?"

I made no such claim. Here is what I said:

That (RIF) and other programs were eliminated as separate budget items and consolidated according to the budget summary.

One report claimed:

<...>

The programs could get money from the department under other funding streams. But more likely than not, most of them aren't going to get any more funding from the feds, possibly forever.

link

The fact is that the programs (their goals) will be continued and funded.

[tekisui]

23. Prove to me the goals will be continued. These seem like very

different programs.

[walldude]

14. Yeah if the budget gets passed in it's current form.

Big if.

Although I don't blame Obama for this one, Bush killed RIF.

I just get tired of all the flowers and sunshine shit this administration is blowing up my ass. This budget will not pass in it's current form.

[jillan]

9. Another WTF moment coming from this administration.

[Kurmudgeon]

10. With book stores going under left and right, paper media may not be the way to go any more.

Before every one goes off on a bash fest, let's see if there is a replacement and if the program may have become unsupportable anymore due to changes in the publishing industry.

[silverweb]

18. READ POST #6

The facts of this story are misrepresented in the OP.

Obama is doing what what he said he'd do in supporting important social programs while streamlining the bureaucracy behind them.

[tekisui]

21. I have yet to see that the new program proposed is better

or even similar in its goals to the 6 literacy programs that are to be cut. It seems to be a one-size-fits-all approach akin to some form of standardized testing. Until I see the details of what the new program will actually do, I can't say that this 'streamlining' is worth it.

But, the OP is not misrepresenting. The proposal is no longer going to fund RIF. They will fund something entirely different.

[silverweb]

25. Reorganization can be a good thing.

RIF will be folded into a reorganization of several programs for management and funding. That does NOT mean that what RIF does is being eliminated.

I just want to see us get the real facts, not what they "seem to be," before we run around getting hysterical and yelling "betrayal."

[SharksBreath]

28. This program worked. Some people will defend Obama no matter what.

I feel sorry for you. Bush Bots. Obama Bots.

WTF. Your all the same.

[ThomCat]

19. And yet, they will continue to insist that we have the greatest

nation in the world. It will continue to be a requirement when running for office that they parrot that absurd line that the US is the world's greatest nation, offering more freedom and more opportunity than any other nation offer their citizens.

:grr:

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kenny blankenship]

30. Reading Is For drug taking Far left of the Left liberal nerds who're "fucking r******d"

Apparently.