A bill to establish tutoring assistance programs to help children learn to read well.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Title I: America Reads Challenge Act
Title II: General Provisions
Title I: America Reads Challenge Act - Part 1: Program Authorized - Makes appropriations to the Secretary of Education and provides for funds from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Corporation for National and Community Service for joint financial support for effective local reading programs for preschool-aged children and children attending both public and private schools.
Part 2: Grants to States - Directs the Secretary and the CEO to use specified amounts of funds for grants to States for subgrants to local reading programs and local "Parents As First Teachers" programs.
Part 3: Local and Regional Grants to Support Effective Models and Exemplary Partnerships - Directs the Secretary and the CEO jointly to: (1) make competitive grants for various local, regional, and national activities that identify and promote effective and promising practices for helping all children read well and independently by the end of the third grade; and (2) ensure that at least ten percent of such funds are awarded to national or regional information networks or other programs to provide support, training, and educational materials to assist parent to help their children become successful readers by the end of the third grade.
Part 4: Supportive Activities - Directs the Secretary and the CEO to use certain reserved funds: (1) for technical assistance, dissemination of materials and information about best practices, and other activities; and (2) to evaluate programs under this Act.
Title II: General Provisions - Authorizes the Secretary and the CEO to waive certain provisions of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 under specified conditions.
(Sec. 203) Prohibits use of funds under this Act for: (1) awards to a pervasively sectarian organization; or (2) support of religious worship, instruction, or proselytization.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.