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AEP Online |
Inspector General Report Finds Improper Procedures and Exclusions in Reading First Program ImplementationThe Office of Inspector General has released the Final Inspection Report of the federal Reading First program’s grant application process. The 10-month investigation began in September of 2005, and the final report was issued last week. Complaints that US Department of Education (USED) officials were requiring the use of particular reading programs catalyzed the audit. The report found that USED: -created a state application package that obscured the statute requirements, -did not follow the expert panel balanced composition requirements, -released a review document without permission from the contracting party, -created a list of preferred reading programs, and -attempted to make LEA’s change their choice of reading programs after the application was completed. All Reading First grant applications were to be reviewed by an expert review panel selected through guidelines set forth in NCLB. Instead, USED created 16 sub panels with a majority of its own panelists. In addition, six of the panelists had "significant professional connections" with specific teaching methodologies and reading programs. Of greater concern to publishers was the distribution of a list of recommended reading programs given to the states. States were being informed that these programs received the "highest Oregon ratings." The existence of such a list had been denied by the Department but appears in the findings.Those programs listed were Houghton Mifflin, The Nation's Choice 2003; SRA, Open Court 2002; SRA/McGraw-Hill, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Reading 2003; Harcourt, Trophies 2003; Success for All Foundation, Success for All; Scott Foresman, Scott Foresman Reading 2004. The Office of Inspector General made eight recommendations for addressing the issues uncovered in its report, the most significant of which was that the Department should review all of the Reading First grants. In a formal response, Secretary Spellings has agreed to do so, and has also agreed to a number of other steps that would increase oversight of the program, and improve compliance with NCLB legal authority. Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 856-241-7772. |
To download a PDF copy of the report click here. |
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2008 The Association of Educational
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