Reading First Still Works

http://www.city-journal.org/2008/eon0519ss.html

This article by Sol Stern, a longtime critic on education policy, in the City Journal ardently defends the federal reading First program. A recent study by the Institute of Education Sciences arrived at a negative conclusion, declaring that the Feading First Program did not produce better test results despite recieving greater federal funding. Mr. stern suggests that the study is deliberately misinterpreted for political reasons. He claims that the IES study is methodologically flawed and incomplete. Unfortunately, the media and the long time oponents of 21st century education reform have used the partial study to set a political trap that will demolish funding for the program.

This article falls into the genre of partisan reflections on the success/failure of No Child Left Behind. The author does not clearly demonstrate the positive attributes of his favored Reading First program; instead he highlights weaknesses in the unfavorable study and how such studies can be manipulated for political gain. This article is yet another reminder about how ideological education policy becomes.