The Monitor Vs. The Daily: Different Takes On Reading First
"In its most recent investigation into Reading First - the fifth of six planned reports questioning the program's management - the department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) also alleges that federal officials knowingly stacked panels at a series of training academies with members who favored two commercial reading programs," according to a Title I Monitor story. "In doing so, the OIG says the Education Department (ED) created the impression that the two programs, Direct Instruction and Open Court, topped an agency "approved list" of Reading First programs." To read the OIG report, go here.
Meantime, Ed Daily has a broader -- and seemingly much kinder -- look at the Reading First era, including comments from former RF deputy Sandi Jacobs. It opens: "Reading First, the No Child Left Behind Act's K-3 reading initiative, has, for all its troubles, managed to quietly shepherd an evolution in reading instruction that has most researchers, educators and policymakers agreeing on at least one thing: Science can tell us much about the way children become readers." From the piece, it seems like local educators aren't as outraged -- or surprised -- as some of the national folks.
Comments
Um, the Monitor has been, on the whole, comparitively even-handed, noting the strengths of the program while hammering away at the problems.
If you really want to look at a study in contrasts, check out EdWeek's recent story on Reid Lyon's e-mail and compare it to the Monitor's.
There, you will see the difference between journalism that aims at the truth and journalism with a loaded agenda.
Of course, you wouldn't note that because...you're working for da man.
Posted by: Francis Mendelbaum | February 23, 2007 11:49 PM
thanks for your comment, francis -- i'll check out the differences you describe.
in the meantime, enough with the "working for the man" stuff. as anyone who's been reading along knows, this blog remains as independent and ornery as it ever was -- including taking whatever whacks are necessary at American education's newspaper of record, i mean, er, you know, them.
Posted by: Alexander | February 24, 2007 12:01 AM