Funding the Reading Recovery Implementation:
Developing a Plan

Key Questions

1. Do you have a long-range plan for funding that is stable and enables you to serve all eligible students?
2. What funding sources does your district have available? (Federal? State? Local? Foundation? Competitive Grant?)

Introduction
Funding decisions regarding Reading Recovery and Descubriendo la Lectura are critical to program longevity and serving all eligible children. Reading Recovery and Descubriendo la Lectura are long term investments in children's educational futures, and it is wise to examine costs carefully. An ongoing priority for an implementation plan must be to support Reading Recovery and Descubriendo la Lectura with a funding stream that is stable and long-term. For some sites, 100% funding through local funds would be ideal. For others, a broad-based funding plan may be preferred. Temporary funding sources are best used for one-time or short-term needs such as capitol investment to build or remodel a training facility or investment in materials (i.e. children's books). Dependence on temporary funds, of course, is to be avoided.

Recommendations for sources of funding are varied. Many schools use federal education funds. The chart below identifies examples of funding sources that have been identified in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Most federal funding used for Reading Recovery is authorized by the NCLB Act (you may also hear this law referred to as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or ESEA).

Sites also may choose to develop long-term funding plans that utilize different sources along the way to reach long-term, stable funding. The sources may include federal, state, or local funding.

A Few Terms
"Title" and "Part" - Federal legislation is divided into major components called Titles. In each Title there are several Parts. Federal education programs are often referred to by the Title and Part which describes them. For example, the Reading First program is sometimes referred to as Title I, Part B of NCLB.

"Formula Grant" - Allocations of money to states or their subdivisions, in accordance with distribution formulas prescribed by law or administrative regulation, for activities of a continuing nature not confined to a specific project.

Several types of federal funds are listed in the table below. Considerations for sites in using these funds are included (Use the highlighted Web sites for more in-depth information).