Here's a twist. We're used to reading about state and local officials who bellyache about No Child Left Behind's requirements but aren't courageous enough to live by their principles and forfeit the federal bucks. (If you don't take the money, you don't have to follow the law's rules.) But according to an article in the Shreveport Times, now a district in Louisiana is turning this trend on its head. It's restoring the Congressional cuts to the Reading First program by using its own money to keep the initiative going.
Caddo received about $671,000 from the state Education Department for Reading First in previous years. However, if the money isn't received, the Caddo Parish School Board has decided to give the district the money from its general fund.
"(Reading First) helps students, and those kids' scores have gone up because of Reading First. I don't know why legislators want to cut something that works," said board member Dottie Bell, a former teacher. "I thought we were all on the page when it comes to educating children, and that's a good program. It's working."
You said it Dottie. Chairman Obey, Mr. Reading First Budget Slasher, are you embarrassed yet?
