Key Points

• Reading First is having a significant impact. Participating schools and districts have made many changes in reading curriculum, instruction, assessment, and scheduling, according to the Center on Education Policy’s district surveys, state surveys, and case studies. About 6% of public schools and 12 % of public school districts participate directly in Reading First subgrants. Our research also found that Reading First has affected schools and districts that do not participate directly in Reading First. Many districts have expanded Reading First instructional programs and assessment systems to non-Reading First schools. In addition, while the majority of state Reading First grant funding is passed on to districts in the form of subgrants, states may set aside up to 20 % of their grants for state activities. These activities include professional development and technical assistance that often benefit not only Reading First districts, but other districts that choose to participate in these state offerings as well. • Some states attributed improved achievement to Reading First. Of the 35 states in our survey that reported reading was improving, 19 said Reading First instructional programs were an important or very important cause of increases in student achievement. Among these 19 states, 16 said Reading First assessments were an important or very important cause of increases. Of the three states crediting the instructional programs for gains but not the assessment systems, two said they did not know the importance of the assessment systems and one said the assessment systems were “somewhat important. ” Many other state officials reported they did not yet know the impact of Reading First on achievement; 11 were unsure about the effects of the instructional programs and 13 were unsure of the effects of the assessment system. • Most Reading First districts credited the program for gains in student achievement. The overwhelming majority of Reading First districts in our survey that reported increases in achievement also reported that Reading First was an important or very important cause of this improvement: 97 % reported Reading First’s instructional program was an important or very important cause, and 92 % reported Reading First’s assessment system was an important or very important cause