School Reform

Over the past decade the following federal reform policies have driven the school reform process nationwide: Goals 2000: Educate America Act (1994), Improving America's Schools Act (1994) and the No Child Left Behind Act (2001). These federal policies have focused on:

1. standards-based reform, publicly developed content and performance standards and assessments aligned to those standards;
2. systemic reform, the setting of ambitious student outcomes for all students, alignment of policy approaches to promote student outcomes and restructuring the governance system to support improved achievement (Smith & O'Day, 1991), and
3. accountability, a focus on student achievement results rather than compliance with regulations (Fuhrman, 1999).

The two major School Reform Programs are: (1) Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) which focuses on transforming the whole school program in order to improve student achievement and (2) Reading First and Early Reading First which specifically targets reading instruction in low-performing schools.

1) Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) - The purpose of the CSR program is to increase the quality and to accelerate the pace of schoolwide reforms in high-poverty and low-achieving schools, especially schools receiving Title I funds. According to the guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE), there are 11 components essential to successful CSR programs.

To receive CSR funding, schools must implement a comprehensive school reform program that:

1. Uses proven strategies and methods for learning, teaching, and school management based on scientifically based research and effective practices, and used successfully in multiple schools
2. Integrates a comprehensive design with aligned components focused on helping students meet standards and addressing needs identified in a school needs assessment
3. Provides high quality, ongoing professional development
4. Includes measurable goals and benchmarks for student academic achievement
5. Has the support of staff within the school
6. Provides support for all faculty and staff
7. Provides for parental and community support and involvement
8. Uses high quality, external technical support and assistance from an experienced provider
9. Includes a plan for the annual evaluation of the implementation of the reform program and the outcomes achieved
10. Identifies other resources to support the reform effort
11. Has been found through scientifically based research to significantly improve student academic achievement, or has shown strong evidence that it will.
    

2) Reading First -- The overall purpose of the Early Reading First Program is to prepare preschool age children to enter kindergarten with the language, cognitive, and early reading skills necessary for reading success, thereby preventing later reading difficulties. Funds are dedicated to help states and local school districts eliminate the reading deficit by establishing high-quality, comprehensive reading instruction in kindergarten through grade 3.

The U.S. Department of Education. (USDOE) has issued guidance to states regarding the application and implementation of Reading First programs. That guidance also includes a definition of the scienfitically based reading research. Scientifically based reading research has identified five essential components of effective reading instruction. Explicit and systematic instruction must be provided in these five areas:

1. Phonemic Awareness -- The ability to hear, identify and manipulate the individual sounds-phonemes-in spoken words. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that the sounds of spoken language work together to make words.
   
   
2. Phonics -- The understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes (i.e., the sounds of spoken language) and graphemes (i.e., the letters and spellings that represent those sounds in written language). Readers use these relationships to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically and to decode unfamiliar words.
   
   
3. Vocabulary Development -- Development of stored information about the meanings and pronunciation of words necessary for communication. There are four types of vocabulary:
   
   
   1. Listening vocabulary - the words needed to understand what is heard
   2. Speaking vocabulary -- the words used when speaking
   3. Reading vocabulary - the words needed to understand what is read
   4. Writing vocabulary - the words used in writing
      
      
4. Reading fluency, including oral reading skills -- Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and quickly. It provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time.
   
   
5. Reading comprehension strategies -- Strategies for understanding, remembering, and communicating with others about what has been read. Comprehension strategies are sets of steps that purposeful, active readers use to make sense of text.