RRCNA Advocacy Update - July, 2008

Dear RRCNA Members:

With just a few weeks until Congress goes home for the August recess (August 4 – September 8) attention is shifting to the fall election. Information and opportunities from Washington include:

1. Congressional Record: U.S. Representative Nick Lampson (TX) enters statement in Congressional Record on Descubriendo la Lectura and Reading Recovery.  Congratulations Fort Bend ISD and DLL!
    
2. Appropriations: FY09 appropriations for education hits snag, proposes eliminating funding for Reading First. The House Subcommittee and Senate full Committee responsible for Labor-HHS-Education funding both recommended zero funding for Reading First in FY09. Although it may be several months before appropriations are finalized, this early step to eliminate funding for the program is significant. At the same time, both committees recommended increases in federal funding for Title I, Title II, special education, and school improvement funds (chart below). RRCNA will continue to monitor federal investments in education.
    
3. Research funding: The Institute of Education Sciences offers a series of research funding webinars in July and August related to opportunities at the National Center for Special Education Research and the National Center for Education Research.
    
4. Stateline.org maintains “2008 State Elections” website on the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and other state level offices up for election this year.

As a service to RRCNA members, this update will be emailed to the full membership in approximately 3 days. Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of Reading Recovery, and let me know if I can be of assistance.

FY 2009 Appropriations for Select Programs