PUBLIC elementary schools will introduce a more aggressive reading program this coming school year to ensure that all students can read before they leave 3rd grade.
This is in accordance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
Under this law, states or insular areas whose public school students are not performing well will receive less federal assistance.
The federal government gives the local Public School System at least $17 million each year. This money funds technology grants, the bilingual program, food and nutrition assistance, special education, among others.
Acting Garapan Elementary School Principal Deikola Olikong said local education officials are working together to ensure that the CNMI’s reading program will be aggressively implemented beginning this year.
“We already have supplemental reading programs. But this time, it’s going to be more aggressive because it has become a law and President Bush wants all schools in the U.S. to promote reading,” Olikong said.
Olikong said her school will continue its reading program while adhering to the Direct Reading Program Instruction that PSS is promoting.
She said her school is prepared to work harder to ensure that all 3rd graders will be able to read before they are promoted to the next grade level.
Different public schools have different reading programs. San Vicente Elementary School’s federally financed program is called Renaissance Reading. Students are asked to read particular books and take computer tests to measure their comprehension skills.
