RRCNA Advocacy Update - July 31, 2007

As Congress approaches the August recess, Reading Recovery and Reading First figure prominently on Capitol Hill. Highlights include:

1. U. S. House of Representatives passes appropriations bill with the largest increase for Title I in the program’s history. Title I is the largest federal funding source for Reading Recovery – please thank the Representatives that voted for the bill by August 6, 2007! A Sample Message and contact information appear at the bottom of this update.
    
2. Reading Recovery featured as a “proven approach” with strong evidence of effectiveness in the House Report for Labor-HHS and Education funding bill - see “Reading Recovery Recognized and Reading First Funding Slashed”.
    
3. Reading First funding slashed in both House and Senate versions Labor-HHS and Education funding bills.
    
4. Advocacy resources easier to access on redesigned RRCNA website.
    
5. Assistant Secretary for USDE Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (John Hager) resigns. The OSERS office is responsible for implementation of the IDEA and special education.
    
6. USDE awards new contract for operation of the What Works Clearinghouse to Mathematica Policy Research.

**********************************************

1. House appropriations bill includes largest proposed increase for Title I in the program’s history. Scroll to the bottom for a sample thank you message and list of members voting Yea on the bill.
    
2. The House Report for the Labor-HHS-Education bill states “At the same time that the Department of Education was promoting certain reading products that lacked evidence of their validity, reading programs such as Reading Recovery and Success for All with strong evidence of effectiveness, according to the Department’s own what works clearinghouse, were virtually shut out of reading first. In fact, Department of Education data show that schools without reading first funds were more likely to use Reading Recovery and Success for All—proven approaches—than were schools receiving reading first grants” (emphasis added).
    
3. Reading First funding slashed by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees – The Senate cut funding by $200 million (20%) and the House by $629 million (61%). Negotiations on funding will continue at least until fall, and Reading Recovery advocates should be prepared to communicate their support to congress for Reading Recovery and an increase in Title I funding for literacy instruction.
    
4. The Issues and Advocacy section of the RRCNA web site includes options to Take Action (including an updated Advocacy calendar, a congressional database and How To Be An Advocate) and a new Hot Topic section. Take a look! 

ACTION ITEM: Sample message to U.S. Representatives voting in favor of HR 3043 (Labor-HHS-Education appropriations for FY 2008)

“Dear Representative _________:

Thank you for voting in favor of HR 3043, the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill for FY 2008. This bill provides a modest, yet critical increase in funding for education, including the largest proposed increase in Title I funding in the program’s history. Title I serves students most at risk of being left behind, and provides vital resources for literacy instruction and teacher professional development. [Insert an example or data from your school or district]. Again, thank you for supporting HR 3043.”

CONTACTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE: The U.S. House of Representatives has a “Write Your Rep” page. In addition, the RRCNA congressional database includes phone numbers, websites and email addresses for the 110th Congress.

List of how Representatives voted on HR 3043 (if yours voted Yea, Please send a thank you message!).