Harkin/Enzi Bill Includes Comprehensive Literacy

RRCNA is a founding member of the Advocates for Literacy Coalition, which in October announced that the comprehensive literacy program established under the Improving Literacy Instruction and Student Achievement Act, or reauthorization of ESEA, will enhance our nation's ability to help more students become effective and independent learners. The legislation would provide resources to states to help schools improve literacy instruction, a core component of any successful education program. The program builds on several key components:

1. Resources are directed to our nation’s schools and early childhood programs serving our neediest youth.
2. The essential literacy elements of reading and writing are linked in ways supported by research based practices.
3. States set goals and create plans based on each state's individual needs as determined by the state education agency and a multi-disciplinary state literacy team.
4. Assessment, a key part of the program, provides information to improve instruction.
5. The comprehensive program aligns early childhood, elementary school, middle grades, and high school so that teachers can collaborate across academic levels and students have seamless literacy learning.
6. Professional learning increases teacher knowledge and collaboration to support student learning.

When fully implemented, this section would help states, communities, and schools to support teachers to teach more students to read and write, preparing them to graduate and move on to college and careers.

Read a summary of the bill