Mrs. Fletcher applauds Senate, calls on House

Frankfort, KY:   First Lady Glenna Fletcher commended the Kentucky Senate today for its unanimous passage of Senate Bill 19. The bill will now await approval by the Kentucky State House of Representatives. Promoting literacy programs remains one of the First Lady’s top priorities and passions.

“I applaud the Senate’s dedication to the children of our Commonwealth. Senate Bill 19 is the next step to ensure that every Kentucky child who needs these services to learn how to read will receive them.” stated Mrs. Fletcher. “I now ask the House to act quickly and pass this very important bill.”

Mrs. Fletcher testified last week that if we can identify these struggling readers when they first enter school, we can intervene with proven, research-based strategies and put them on the road to lifelong learning.

“My husband and I believe that our children’s future is in our hands; it is one of our greatest responsibilities,” Mrs. Fletcher stated before the committee. “And I believe that if we get the reading right, the rest will fall into place.”

The “Read to Achieve Act of 2005”:

• Provides for a comprehensive school wide reading program in each elementary school.
• Provides diagnostic reading assessments and intervention services for struggling students in Kentucky’s elementary schools.
• Ensures quality instruction by highly trained teachers.
• Continues the “Collaborative Center for Literacy Development:  Early Childhood through Adulthood.”
• Creates a reading diagnostic and intervention fund to provide renewable two-year grants to assist schools in helping struggling readers.
• Creates the Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Grant Steering Committee.

Senate Bill 19 builds on legislation sponsored by Senator Dan Kelly, R-Springfield in 1998 which established grants to support teachers in the implementation of research-based reading models to help struggling readers.  To date, one-third of Kentucky’s elementary schools have used the program.

Senator Kelly sponsored the Read to Achieve bill.  First Lady Glenna Fletcher thanked Senator Kelly and members of leadership for “passing this very important bill in a timely manner.  I hope the House leadership will work in a similar manner to affirm these important reforms.”

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