Elimination of ‘Reading First’ Funding Advances

The full Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday approved a fiscal 2009 spending measure that would eliminate funding for the controversial Reading First program, while providing modest increases for other programs serving disadvantaged students and those in special education.

The bill, which was approved on a 26-3 vote, would provide about $61.8 billion for the U.S. Department of Education for fiscal 2009, which begins Oct. 1. That would be a 4.2 percent increase over the current fiscal year.

On June 19, a House Appropriations subcommittee also voted to scrap the Reading First state grants program as part of a similar 2009 spending bill financing education, labor,...