Reading Instruction: New Federal Initiatives

Publication Date: June 1998

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Education

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Abstract:

President Clinton has proposed a new program, “America Reads Challenge,” with a goal of helping all children to read successfully on their own by the end of third grade, primarily by expanding the number of volunteer and other tutors in reading. On November 8, 1997, the House passed an alternative to the Administration’s proposal: H.R. 2614, the “Reading Excellence Act”. The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources reported a revised version of H.R. 2614 on June 10, 1998. Separately, the conference version of H.R. 2646, the Education Savings Act for Public and Private Schools, contains provisions similar to the House-passed version of H.R. 2614. The conference report on H.R. 2646 has been adopted by the House and Senate and sent to the President. A contingent FY1998 appropriation of $210 million has been enacted, to be used for a new reading initiative if enacted by July 1, 1998. However, since both the House and the Senate have adjourned until after July 1 without adopting any version of H.R. 2614, and the President has stated that he will veto H.R. 2646, the contingent appropriation will apparently be transferred to the Special Education account, and it is unclear whether the 105th Congress will take further action on such reading legislation. This report provides a description and analysis of these proposals, and such related issues as trends in the reading achievement of American pupils and the relationship of these proposals to current federal aid programs. This report will be updated as further legislative developments occur.