special emphasis projects

special emphasis projects Sec. 721. (a) The Commissioner is authorized to contract with local educational agencies for special emphasis projects to determine the effectiveness of intensive instruction by reading specialists and reading teachers. Each such project should provide for— (1) the teaching of reading by a reading specialist for all children in the first and second grades of an elementary school and the teaching of reading by a reading specialist for elementary school children in grades three through six who have reading problems; and (2) an intensive vacation reading program for elementary school children who are found to be reading below the appropriate grade level or who are experiencing problems in learning to read. (b) No contract may be entered into under this section unless upon an application made to the Commissioner at such time, in such manner, and including or accompanied by such information as he may reasonably require. Each such application shall provide assurances that— (1) the provisions of section 705 (b) are met; and (2) the State educational agency has certified that individuals employed as reading specialists and reading teachers meet the requirements of subsections (e) and (f). (c) No contract may be entered into under this section unless the project has been approved by the. State educational agency. (d) The Commissioner is authorized to enter into at least one arrangement with a local educational agency for a districtwide project conducted in all schools of such agencies. Tn selecting the districtwide project, the Commissioner shall give priority to an application from a local educational agency if the Commissioner finds that— (1) the local educational agency will give credit for any course to be developed for reading teachers or reading specialists under section 722 and will encourage participation by the teachers of such agency in the training; (2) the local public educational television station will present or distribute, in the event supplementary noncommercial telecommunication is utilized, any course to be developed under section 722 at an hour convenient for the viewing by elementary school teachers, and, if possible, at a time convenient for such teachers to take the course, as a group, at the elementary school where they teach; and (3) the local educational agency will make arrangements with the appropriate officials of institutions of higher education to obtain academic credit for the completion of such a course. 88 Stat. 595 (e) In any project assisted under this section a reading teacher may be used in lieu of a reading specialist, if the Commissioner finds that the local educational agency participating in a reading emphasis project is unable to secure individuals who meet the requirements of a reading specialist and if such reading teacher is enrolled or will enroll in a program to become a reading specialist. A regular elementary teacher may be used in lieu of a reading teacher if the Commissioner finds that the local educational agency participating in a reading emphasis project is unable to secure individuals who meet the requirements of the reading teacher, and if such regular elementary teacher is enrolled or will enroll in a program to become a reading teacher. (f) For the purpose of this section and section 722 the term— (1) “reading specialist” means an individual who has a master’s degree, with a major or specialty in reading, from an accredited institution of higher education and has successfully completed three years of teaching experience, which includes reading instruction, and (2) “reading teacher” means an individual, with a bachelor’s degree, who has successfully completed a minimum of twelve credit hours, or its equivalent, in courses of the teaching of reading at an accredited institution of higher education, and has successfully completed two years of teaching experience, which includes reading instruction.