Report 2.1: Reading First Within the Context of NCLB: Are Title 1 Parts A and B Compatible
Federal Policies? by Joanne F. Carlisle and Ruth Athan

Are Title 1 Parts A and B Compatible Federal Policies? Title 1 of the No Child Left Behind legislation of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) has been both heralded and disparaged as legislation designed to improve the academic achievement of U.S. students. Signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002, the Title 1 Part A section of the law holds schools responsible for improving achievement in reading and math for students in grades 3 through 8. Less well known and understood is Title 1 Part B, which establishes a federal program called Reading First. This is a 6-year, 6-billion dollar program to assist high poverty schools in improving reading instruction in the early elementary years. Part A is
more fully understood than Part B (Reading First) because of the attention paid by researchers, educators, politicians, and the popular press to the Part A requirement that schools administer annual assessments to track their progress in improving students’ academic achievement every year.