Watchdog’s Oversight Is Having Wide Impact

Inspector general’s Reading First reports have boosted visibility.

When Cindy Cupp met with two lawyers from the Department of Education’s office of inspector general in December 2005 about her complaints that the Reading First program was biased toward some providers, she was impressed.

They listened intently, took notes, and seemed to have near-photographic memories for the information she provided. After months of trying to get federal officials to take notice of her concerns, it was a relief, she recalled recently.

“At the time, I thought they were the two most brilliant people I’d ever met,” said Ms. Cupp, the Savannah, Ga.-based publisher of a reading series...