Reading First, authorized under Title I, Part B, Subpart 1 of No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, is a focused nationwide effort to provide states and school districts support in implementing research-based reading programs in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. The three areas of focus in Reading First are:
Improvement of reading instruction
Evaluation of accountability of reading instruction
Professional development and technical assistance to ensure reading success
Basic Premise of Reading First
All but a very small number of children can be taught to be successful readers
Prevention of reading problems is far more cost effective and efficient than remediation
Reading failure can be prevented by relying on the extensive scientific research base in reading
Overview of Texas Reading First