IRA Calls for Indictments in Reading First

Educators express disappointment, anger over conflicts of interest in reading program

By Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 6/1/2007

The International Reading Association (IRA) is calling for a criminal investigation into the Reading First fiasco and for the prosecution of any guilty parties involved, says IRA President Timothy Shanahan.

“The scandal is just horrible,” he says. “It’s one of those things that undermine teachers’ trust that the efforts being made are really the right efforts.”

Educators from all over expressed disappointment and anger over Senator Edward Kennedy’s (D-MA) report last month, outlining conflicts of interest in Reading First, a program created in 2001 under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) to help low-income children become proficient readers by the end of third grade.

Kennedy’s report, which delves into more detail than previous U.S. Department of Education Inspector General audits, shows that four of the five Reading First regional technical assistant directors (TAC) had significant financial ties to education publishers while they held Reading First positions. While in their jobs, the four directors were required to advise states and school districts about which reading programs to choose and how to implement them.

Edward Kame’enui, Douglas Carnine, Joseph Torgesen, and Sharon Vaughn “all had extensive ties with education publishers during their tenure as TAC directors” and in many instances these ties “may have improperly influenced their actions,” the report says, adding that the findings diminished the programs’ integrity and illustrated the need for Congressional action.

“We need to punish anyone who’s committed any wrongdoing,” Shanahan says. “That’s why we’re calling for a criminal investigation, because it looks like somebody might have profited. And they need to be prosecuted if they justify it.”

To avoid future conflicts of interest, Paula Yohe, director of technology and school libraries for the Dillon School District Two in South Carolina, says librarians should be a part of the book selection process because they’re trained in materials selection and have no vested interest in a product or company.

“I’ve been critical of Reading First because, in many cases, I’ve seen booklists produced by these folks that contain out-of-date materials,” Yohe says, adding that Reading First is a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. “They’ve advocated putting 500 books into classroom libraries, while school libraries are completely outdated. I’ve seen book rooms created that are not part of the media center.”

Sara Kelly Johns, a media specialist at Lake Placid Middle/Senior School in New York, agrees that the government should consult with education experts when selecting Reading First materials, and “some of those experts should be school librarians.” But achieving that goal will take extensive lobbying of legislators, she adds.

U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently testified before the House, emphasizing that NCLB and the Higher Education Act are up for renewal this year. “Where these laws need changing, let’s do it,” she said.