National and Regional Centers/Organizations/Associations
related to Improving Reading Instruction and Literacy

Just Read, Florida!
http://www.justreadflorida.com/

On September 7, 2001, Governor Jeb Bush signed Executive Order 01-260 designating Just Read, Florida! as a comprehensive and coordinated reading initiative. Governor Bush believes that reading is the most powerful skill a child can learn, as it influences success in school and improves the overall quality of life. The unequivocal goal is for all students in Florida to be able to read on grade level or higher throughout their school years by 2012.
see also: http://www.justreadflorida.com/reading_first.asp
http://www.justreadflorida.com/educators.asp

Florida Center for Reading Research
http://www.fcrr.org/

The Florida Center for Reading Research Four-Part Mission:

• To serve as part of Florida’s “Leadership Triangle” for the Just Read, Florida! initiative and to provide technical assistance and support to all districts and schools receiving a Reading First Award
• To conduct applied research that will have an immediate impact on policy and practices related to literacy instruction and assessment in Florida
• To disseminate information about research-based practices related to literacy instruction and assessment for children in pre-school through 12th grade
• To conduct basic research on reading, reading growth, reading assessment, and reading instruction that will contribute to the scientific knowledge of reading

Reading First Professional Development
http://rfpd.ucf.edu/

To successfully meet the reading goals for all students (K-3) in Florida, a federal grant was awarded to the state of Florida from the No Child Left Behind legislation. It outlines a comprehensive plan to ensure that teachers in the K-3 classrooms implement scientifically based reading research. Research, professional development, high quality classroom instruction, and continuous progress monitoring of student results are critical components of this initiative. Reading First Professional Development, the Florida Center for Reading Research, and the Just Read, Florida! Office at the Department of Education collaborate to develop, implement, and sustain this initiative. Eligible elementary schools, in coordination with their school districts, apply for funds to support the professional development efforts.

Professional development through regional Reading Academies for Reading First schools will be provided to K-3 teachers, reading coaches, and administrators in schools receiving funds through Reading First. The content of the Reading Academies focuses on the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In addition, the Reading Academies will also focus on the four important types of assessment to guide reading instruction: screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, and outcome measures.

Florida Literacy Coaches Association
http://www.justreadflorida.com/flca/

Morgridge International Reading Center
http://mirc.education.ucf.edu/

The Morgridge International Reading Center was established to be a resource for those interested in the art and science of teaching reading. Teachers, school administrators, parents, researchers, policymakers, nonprofit organizations and others who are interested in the education of children can visit the center online or in person to discover and share successful approaches and methods for helping children become better readers. The center will collect and distribute successful reading strategies being used in the country.

Florida Literacy Coalition
http://www.floridaliteracy.org/

Established in 1985, The Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) promotes, supports and advocates for the effective delivery of quality adult and family literacy services in the state of Florida. As a statewide umbrella literacy organization and the host of Florida’s State Literacy Resource Center, FLC provides a range of services to support more than 300 adult education, literacy and family literacy providers throughout Florida. Special emphasis is placed on assisting community based literacy organizations with their training and program development needs.

Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC)
http://www.paec.org/

The mission of the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium is to enable all member and participating school districts to attain their goals by: providing leadership and support services, maximizing the use of resources, linking schools, and facilitating communication across the consortium. The Language Arts page includes links to standards, resources, content, lesson plans, suggested readings for teachers and students, professional associations.

North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC)
http://www.nefec.org/

The mission of the North East Florida Educational Consortium is to help member districts cooperatively meet their educational goals and objectives by providing programs and services that individual districts would not be able to provide as effectively or as economically when acting alone. Of particular interest is The Florida Reading Initiative (FRI) is a research-based school wide reform effort committed to providing the professional development and follow up support necessary for schools to achieve just that—100% literacy!

Heartland Educational Consortium (HEC)
http://www.heartlanded.org/

The Heartland Educational Consortium is a regional, non-profit, educational service agency founded in 1996 to provide cooperative services to member districts in central rural Florida. The organization is dedicated to providing services to member districts and helping the districts achieve their goals and objectives through sharing ideas and resources to enhance the delivery of programs and services. The Consortium provides services and resources in many areas: staff development in school improvement and accountability, leadership groups in curriculum and administration, training activities for all levels of school personnel, grant writing, printing, and an annual leadership conference.

Florida Center for the Book
http://www.broward.org/library/fcftb_welcome.htm

Florida Center for the Book was established in 1984 as the first affiliate of The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Florida Center for the Book celebrates the literary heritage of Florida, brings readers and writers together and promotes books, reading, and libraries. It acts as a catalyst and network for individuals and organizations interested in the book. Florida Center for the Book encourages development and expansion of the community of the book throughout Florida.

Just Read Now
http://www.justreadnow.com/index.htm

The Just Read Now website, a project of the Beacon Learning Center, centers on a collection of proven reading strategies and their application in the four major academic content areas: language arts, math, science, and the social sciences.

US Department of Education - Reading First
http://www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/index.html

The No Child Left Behind Act signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 8, 2002, established Reading First as a new, high-quality evidence-based program for the students of America.
The Reading First initiative builds on the findings of years of scientific research, which, at the request of Congress, were compiled by the National Reading Panel.
see also: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/reading/edpicks.jhtml?src=rt

NCLB was written with teachers in mind. A Toolkit for Teachers (revised May 2004) contains important information on the law, focusing on the teacher quality provisions and how the law supports teachers. The publication was written to clarify for elementary, middle and high school teachers what it means to be "highly qualified."

National Institute for Literacy
http://www.nifl.gov/

The National Institute for Literacy's activities to strengthen literacy across the lifespan are authorized by the U.S. Congress under two laws, the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) in the Workforce Investment Act and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The AEFLA directs the Institute to provide national leadership regarding literacy, coordinate literacy services and policy, and serve as a national resource for adult education and literacy programs. The NCLB law directs the Institute to disseminate information on scientifically based reading research pertaining to children, youth, and adults as well as information about development and implementation of classroom reading programs based on the research.

Partnership for Reading
http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/

The Partnership for Reading offers information about the effective teaching of reading for children, adolescents, and adults, based on the evidence from quality research. The Partnership invites you to explore this site for information on the research, principles about reading instruction suggested by the research, and products for parents, teachers, administrators, and policy-makers.

In 1997, Congress asked the Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), along with the Secretary of Education, to convene a national panel on reading. The National Reading Panel (NRP) was asked by Congress to assess the status of research-based knowledge about reading, including the effectiveness of various approaches to teaching children to read. The panel was made up of 14 people, including leading scientists in reading research, representatives of colleges of education, teachers, educational administrators, and parents. The NRP met over a period of two years to discuss their findings and prepare the results in two reports and a video titled, "Teaching Children to Read."

International Reading Association
http://www.reading.org/

• Professional Development - to enhance professional development of reading educators worldwide
• Advocacy - to support research, policy, and practice that improves reading instruction and promotes the best interests of all learners and reading professionals
• Partnerships - to establish and strengthen national and international alliances with other organizations, including governmental, nongovernmental, and community agencies, businesses, and industries
• Research - to encourage and support research that promotes informed decision making by reading professionals, policy makers, and the public
• Global Literacy Development - to identify, focus, and provide leadership on significant literacy issues

National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.ncte.org/

The National Council of Teachers of English is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. Since 1911, NCTE has provided a forum for the profession, an array of opportunities for teachers to continue their professional growth throughout their careers, and a framework for cooperation to deal with issues that affect the teaching of English.

Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse
http://www.literacycoachingonline.org/

The Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse is a joint venture of the International Reading Association and National Council of Teachers of English:

• To increase the knowledge base, research, and practice of literacy coaching as a form of teacher professional learning that builds teachers’ capacities to offer quality literacy instruction to students and, in turn, to increase students’ literacy achievement.
• To assist districts, schools, and literacy coaches in their development of quality coaching programs based upon findings from literacy coaching research, other professional development research, and coaches’ own practices.
• To bring together people interested in forming a professional learning community who are deeply interested in literacy coaching and want to maximize its potential for the learning of all educators and students they serve.

AdLit.org
http://www.adlit.org/

AdLit.org is a national multimedia project offering information and resources to the parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers. AdLit.org is an educational initiative of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital, and is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and by the Ann B. and Thomas L. Friedman Family Foundation.

National Literacy Project
http://www.nationalliteracyproject.org/

The goal of the National Literacy Project is to improve the reading and writing success of intermediate, middle, and high school students. NLP offers a wide array of services for educatios who work with students in all subject areas and program classifications.

National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) - Adolescent Literacy Network
http://www.nasbe.org/Adolescent_Literacy/index.html

The goal of the State Adolescent Literacy Network is to create a  national network to guide state board of education leadership efforts in crafting comprehensive state literacy initiatives that are implemented within the context of core academic subjects and as part of the states’ overall school improvement initiatives.

Alliance for Excellent Education - Adolescent Literacy
http://www.carnegie.org:80/literacy/index.html

The main objective of the Framework for an Excellent Education is to provide youth with the skills they need to be successful in high school. Since no student with low literacy skills can graduate from high school prepared for college or a career, the starting point of the Framework is an Adolescent Literacy Initiative.

Carnegie Corporation of New York - Advancing Literacy
http://www.carnegie.org:80/literacy/index.html

Advancing Literacy, a relatively new subprogram of the Education Division, was created in 2003, after an extensive review that included consultations with the nation’s leading practitioners and researchers. This review revealed that the teaching of reading in kindergarten through the third grade is well supported with research, practice and policy, but that the knowledge base for how to teach reading for grades beyond this point is very thin. The educational community faces a difficult challenge since what is expected in academic achievement for middle and high school students has significantly increased, yet the way in which students are taught to read comprehend and write about subject matter has not kept pace with the demands of schooling. American 15-year-olds barely attain the standards of international literacy for youngsters their age, and during the past decade the average reading score of fourth graders has changed little. Readers who struggle during the intermediate elementary years face increasing difficulty throughout middle school and beyond. Carnegie Corporation’s first response to these findings was to create the “Advancing Literacy” subprogram and charge it with the daunting task of advancing literacy by affecting policy, practice and research.

National Reading Conference
http://www.nrconline.org/

The National Reading Conference (NRC) is a professional organization for individuals who share an interest in research and the dissemination of information about literacy and literacy instruction.

College Reading Association
http://www.collegereadingassociation.org/

The College Reading Association (CRA) is an international association of literacy professionals founded in 1958. The goals of the College Reading Association are:

• To promote standards and competency within the profession.
• To stimulate the self-development and professional growth of teachers and reading specialists at all educational levels.
• To encourage the continuing improvement of college and university curricula and encourage preparation programs for teachers and reading specialists.
• To encourage the continuing improvement of administrative, clinical, diagnostic, and instructional practices related to the learning process.

The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) was established in 1989 with a grant from the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust. Founded by current president Sharon Darling, NCFL began with a simple but ambitious mission: To help parents and children achieve their greatest potential together through quality literacy programs. Today, NCFL is recognized worldwide as the leader in family literacy development. NCFL works with educators and community builders through an array of services to design and sustain programs that meet the most urgent educational needs of disadvantaged families. 

The National Right to Read Foundation (NRRF)
http://www.nrrf.org/

The National Right to Read Foundation (NRRF) was established on January 8, 1993. The mission of NRRF is to return comprehensive, scientifically-based reading instruction and good literature to every elementary school in America. Their purpose is to provide up-to-date information to inform the American public about progress towards the goals of NRRF, to suggest ways that parents can become involved in this essential effort, and to encourage teachers to use reading instructional materials and diagnostic assessments that will enable them to teach most children to read by the end of first grade, and to ensure that all children are proficient readers by the end of third grade at the latest.

Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA)
http://www.ciera.org/

The Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA) is a national center for research on early reading, representing a consortium of educators from five universities (the University of Michigan and Michigan State University, with the University of Southern California, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Georgia); teacher educators; teachers; publishers of texts, tests, and technology; professional organizations; and schools and school districts across the United States. CIERA's mission is to improve the reading achievement of America's youth by generating and disseminating theoretical, empirical, and practical solutions to the learning and teaching of beginning reading.

America Reading Forum
http://www.americanreadingforum.org/

The American Reading Forum is a nonprofit, professional organization composed of individuals who share an interest in the improvement of reading.  While the American Reading Forum is an organization that facilitates the dissemination of ideas and research, it places highest priority on providing its members opportunities for critical discussion of ideas, issues, research and emerging research interests and paradigms.

The Consortium on Reading Excellence
http://www.corelearn.com

The mission of The Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE) is to help their customers build their own capacity for effective instruction by laying a foundation of research-based knowledge, supporting the use of proven tools, and developing literacy leadership.

Big Ideas in Beginning Reading
http://reading.uoregon.edu/index.php

This website, from The Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement (IDEA) in the College of Education at the University of Oregon is designed to provide information, technology, and resources to teachers, administrators, and parents across the country. Big Ideas in Beginning Reading focuses on the five BIG IDEAS of early literacy: phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency with text, vocabulary, and comprehension. The website includes definitions and descriptions of the research and theories behind each of the big ideas, describes how to assess the big ideas, gives information on how to teach the big ideas including instructional examples, and finally, shows you how to put it all together in your school.

Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts
http://www.texasreading.org/utcrla/

The Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts, located in the College of Education on The University of Texas at Austin campus, is committed to providing leadership to educators in effective reading instruction through its diversified research and professional development projects. From translating research into practice to providing online professional development, the Center emphasizes scientifically based reading research and instruction. The Vaughn Gross Center is dedicated to improving reading instruction for all students, especially struggling readers, English language learners, and special education students. (Formally known as The University of Texas Center for Reading and Language Arts.)

The Ohio Literacy Resource Center (OLRC), located at Kent State University, originated as a result of the National Literacy Act of 1991. The OLRC is funded primarily through the Ohio Department of Education Division of Career-Technical and Adult Education and the National Institute for Literacy to work with Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) programs. OLRC staff also work closely with state agencies, professional organizations, literacy coalitions, public libraries, and a wide variety of adult literacy providers.

The Collaborative Center for Literacy Development: Early Childhood through Adulthood (CCLD) is a partnership among each of the eight state universities and the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL), in cooperation with the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE), the Kentucky Adult Education (KYAE), and others interested in literacy development.

National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/

The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) both informs and learns from practice. Its rigorous, high quality research increases knowledge and gives those teaching, managing, and setting policy in adult literacy education a sound basis for making decisions. NCSALL is also a leader in designing innovative professional development programs and in building support for research use. NCSALL (pronounced nick-saul) is a collaborative effort between the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and World Education. The Center for Literacy Studies at The University of Tennessee, Rutgers University, and Portland State University are NCSALL's partners.

The Center for the Book
http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to use the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to promote books, reading, libraries, and literacy. Within the Library, the center is a focal point for celebrating the legacy of books and the printed word. Outside the Library, the center works closely with other organizations to foster understanding of the vital role of books, reading, libraries and literacy in society. On behalf of books and reading, the Center for the Book serves as an advocate, a catalyst, and a source of ideas--both nationally and internationally.

LITERACY.org
http://www.literacy.org/index.html

Literacy.org is a gateway to electronic resources and tools for the national and international youth and adult literacy communities. This site is jointly sponsored by the International Literacy Institute (ILI) and the National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL) at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

Children's Literature Network
http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/

Children’s Literature Network is a nonprofit organization serving the Upper Midwest that provides connection, encouragement, education, camaraderie, and programming for adults who are passionate about encouraging kids to read.

To help meet the challenge of improving the emergent literacy skills of young children in urban schools, the University of North Florida (UNF), College of Education and Human Services, and the UNF-based Florida Institute of Education (FIE) established a significant partnership with several governmental and private organizations, Head Start Centers, public and private child care centers and public school districts committed to improving reading among children, particularly those children who come to school under prepared.

Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FLDRS)
http://www.fdlrs.com/

The Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System (FDLRS) provides diagnostic and instructional support services to district exceptional student education programs and families of students with exceptionalities statewide. FDLRS supports the State education goals of high student achievement, safe schools, and high performing workforce. FDLRS activities reflect these goals and demonstrate outcomes toward accomplishing them. The Florida Instructional Technology Training Resource Unit (FDLRS/TECH) serves as the FDLRS network technology resource through coordination and delivery of information; support, coordination, and training services; identifying current technology; and through the support of technology labs at major conferences. See Literacy Resources.

SERVE Center for Continuous Improvement
http://www.serve.org

The SERVE Center for Continuous Improvement at UNCG is an education organization with the mission to promote and support the continuous improvement of educational opportunities for all learners in the Southeast. The organization's commitment to continuous improvement is manifest in an applied research-to-practice model that drives all of its work. Building on research, professional wisdom, and craft knowledge, SERVE staff members develop tools, processes, and interventions designed to assist practitioners and policymakers with their work. SERVE's ultimate goal is to raise the level of student achievement in the region. Evaluation of the impact of these activities combined with input from stakeholders expands SERVE's knowledge base and informs future research. Two particular areas of interest: Curriuulum and Instruction - Reading and Literacy and Products and Services - Stepping Stones to Literacy.