Kentucky Department of Education

Reading First is a major federal initiative within the new reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: No Child Left Behind to improve reading for primary age (K-3) children throughout the state. 

The United States Department of Education will send Kentucky $13.7 million annually for the next six years.

Reading First focuses on putting proven methods of early reading instruction in classrooms. Through Reading First, states and districts receive support to apply scientifically based reading research—and the proven instructional and assessment tools consistent with this research—to ensure that all children learn to read well by the end of third grade.

Funds support increased professional development to ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to teach these programs effectively. The program also supports the use of screening and diagnostic tools and classroom-based instructional reading assessments to measure how well students are reading and to monitor their progress.