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May 6, 2003 SDE Announces $6.71 Million in Reading First Awards
New Mexico was the 10th state to be awarded Reading First funding after meeting the rigorous criteria set forth by the US Department of Education. As of April 28, 2003, Secretary of Education Rod Paige has announced 31 state awards. "New Mexico is extremely fortunate to have a capable team of staff and external partners who have established the early literacy infrastructure to support effective reading instruction," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael J. Davis. These efforts have been coordinated by Program Manager Sharon Dogruel from Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning Technologies in the Learning Services and Indian Education Division. The recipient schools and dollars awarded for each district include the following: ALBUQUERQUE PUBLIC SCHOOLS $1,796,386 CHAMA VALLEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS $437,544 CUBA INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS $225,000 ESPANOLA PUBLIC SCHOOLS $1,125,000 GRANTS-CIBOLA COUNTY SCHOOLS $675,000 LAS CRUCES PUBLIC SCHOOLS $450,000 LOVINGTON MUNICIPAL SCHOOLS $450,000 SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS $450,000 WAGON MOUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS $207,897 WEST LAS VEGAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS $895,393 The SDE received $8.39 million last fall from the U.S. Department of Education for the first year of the six-year Reading First program. The SDE will use approximately $1.68 million in 2003-2004 to provide technical assistance and comprehensive, high-quality professional development to ensure that all teachers have the skills they need to teach reading. Approximately $9.3 million will be available for the program in 2005-2006. "The heart of the New Mexico Reading First initiative is building the capacity of educators to teach reading. These first awards really launch a comprehensive, in-depth and coordinated approach to the teaching of reading statewide. This will provide critical support to students who are struggling to read in our state," said State Superintendent Davis. The first-year awards will reach approximately 12,800 students
in grades K-3. Participating schools implement their program for
three years and those that show two consecutive years of significant
reading improvement will be eligible for additional funding above
their award. Improvement will be determined by performance (in English
or Spanish) on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills
(DIBELS) assessment. |