An audit of the federal Reading First program revealed that it unlawfully favored some reading programs over others. The audit found that officials favored Direct Instruction (DI), a proven way to increase reading performance. A July, 2006 evaluation of Reading First found that it produced positive results. North Carolina received close to $18 million in Reading First grants last year.
Everyone is talking about an email from the director of the program, Chris Doherty, to a member of his staff, which directs the staff member to criticize a company that Doherty did not endorse.
“They are trying to crash our party and we need to beat the (expletive deleted) out of them in front of all the other would-be party crashers who are standing on the front lawn waiting to see how we welcome these dirtbags.”
Doherty has already resigned, and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has announced that she will follow the recommendations of the audit.
What do we learn from this? Reading First was an administrative nightmare but an academic success. And now, Reading First will allow public schools to waste their time with Whole Language and other unproven reading programs.
